by Jane Dwinell and Dana Dwinell-Yardley

So often people rely on "experts" of every kind — to tell them what to do, what to buy, what to eat, what to worry about, what to fear, and what to do to protect themselves and their families from all of the above. We think that reliance on all these "authorities" certainly does one major thing — suffocates all common sense! Here are ten things we think everyone should know, ten things that can help restore common sense to our society:

1. Know your food
If you understand your food, how it grows, where it comes from, what it takes to process or preserve it, you will know a lot better what to eat and when. We all need to eat, and our bodies like it best if we eat what's fresh and in season. Eating food out of can, box, or jar is not as tasty or nutritious, and is often loaded with all kids of additives, food enhancers, and chemicals that you don't really want to know about. Learn what's available in your area. Talk to local farmers, look on the shelves of your favorite store, and see what will grow in your yard. In Vermont, that means enjoying those vine-ripe tomatoes in the summer, hearty cabbage and potato soup in the winter, and some great cheese all year 'round.

Knowing your food also means knowing what to do with it. It's common sense to learn how to cook, not something only for those with the time, money, fancy appliances, or professional training. If the best you can do right now is a peanut butter sandwich, have no fear. Find a friend or two who can cook who can show you some basic recipes and recommend a couple of basic cookbooks and basic kitchen equipment. Cooking for yourself saves money, is healthier than buying processed, premade foods, and is a source of enjoyment — creating a meal with your own two hands.

2. Know your body
We are all human, but everyone's body is different. We have different requirements for foods, nutrients, sleep, exercise, and fresh air. Some people thrive on a vegetarian diet; others need some animal products to be at their best. Some folks get by on 7 hours of sleep, other need 8 or 9. You are the expert on your body. You know (if you pay attention) when you are hungry, what foods your body is craving, when you are tired and need rest, and when you need to get off your butt and get active. Listen!

With some education, you can also learn when an illness or injury can be healed at home without medical attention, and when you need to see a doctor. Don't just have a whole slew of "routine" tests, or go running to the doctor for a sore throat. Understand why your doctor prescribes certain tests and procedures, and decide whether or not they're right for you. Learn basic first aid for bruises, cuts, and other minor injuries. Learn to take care of yourself, and know when all you need is a cup of tea and good night's sleep, or something more, to cure what ails you.

3. Know your money
Money can't buy happiness — or can it? Our family sure is happy to have no debt, to have money in the bank and some safe investments, and to know exactly how much money we need to live a full and balanced life. Can you say the same thing? Having a good, common sense relationship with money is essential to a good life. Don't spend money if you don't have it to spend! Get out of debt, and learn to have a fun and fulfilling life without shelling out cash. There are so many fun things we can do that don't cost money — there's no need to rely on plug-in electronic companions, gym memberships, the latest motorized toy, overpriced concert tickets, fancy dinners out, and all those other pricey forms of entertainment (fun as they are for a treat every now and then). Hanging out with people and the natural world (of which Vermont has plenty!) is more than enough and won't put you further in debt.

4. Know where you live
Vermont is a special place, there's no doubt about that. We understand that it's hot in the summer (sometimes with associated thunderstorms, localized flooding, high winds and power outages), snowy and cold in the winter (with icy roads, and more power outages), and sometimes a mess in the spring and fall as well. Oh, yes, and there are plenty of gorgeous days in between the extremes.

It's important to understand the weather where you live, and the possible natural disasters that can occur — and be prepared for them. We're lucky that tornadoes and hurricanes are not our disasters to worry about, but we should have important papers in an easily accessible place (to be grabbed if you have to flee), a way to get fresh water (bottled or drawn from a spring or well), a way to stay warm without electricity, and some food for a few days. Besides understanding the weather (and your local micro-climate) in case of emergencies, you should also understand how to protect your home against the elements with proper insulation, energy efficient windows, flood barriers, etc.

Another part of knowing where you live is knowing what kinds of trees, wildflowers, mammals, and birds live there too — another free, fun thing to do.

5. Know how to be in community
It seems that people tend to hole up in their own homes when they're not at work, and the skills of being in community are being lost. Do you know your neighbors? Could you rely on them in an emergency? How are you when things get rough between you and your friends, loved ones or coworkers? Learn to resolve disputes without avoidance, fear, or violence. Learn how to work together — to restore a playground, clean up a riverbank, or plant a garden at the elementary school. Learn how to work hard, how to accomplish a common goal. Learn to spend time with people that are not in your age group. People used to spend time multi-generationally without even thinking about it — have we lost that skill? Can we regain it? Learn to spend time with people who are not like you in others ways as well. It's a big world and we all need to learn how to be together in peace.

6. Know how to think for yourself
Do you always believe the latest thing you hear on the news? It's a real eye-opener to spent time in other parts of the United States or other parts of the world. The news that is reported there is often completely different than what we hear at home. Who's right and who's wrong? No one and everyone. No form of media tells us the whole story (hey, even us!). What we learned in school is not the whole story either, whether the subject is history, geography, civics or science. As time passes, we get a different view of events. As science makes advances, theories change. Learn to think for yourself. If it's easier to take a break from the media for a while (mainstream or alternative), do so. Practice being open-minded to points of view different from your own, as well. It's time we all used more common sense to react to all the information that comes at us: at work, at home, from the media, on the Internet, from advertising and from our own friends and family.

7. Know how to repair things
When something breaks, wears out, or seems to have lost its life, ask yourself if it can be repaired or renewed. Clothes can be patched, lamps can be rewired, flat tires can be fixed, stuffed animals sewn back up. If you don't know how to sew or use tools, find someone who can teach you. In the meantime, if you take care of your things (put them away, oil moving parts, repair rips before they get worse) you may not have to do major overhauls. If something is truly unrepairable, don't replace it, and see if you can do without or get what you need in another way — or check your local thrift shop if you must have another one. Have a good selection of simple tools to use for your repairs, and keep them where you know where they are!

8. Know how to plan ahead
Don't start a project without thinking through all of the steps before you start. Large or small, it helps to know what you want the end product to be, if you have the right tools and supplies, and enough time to finish (or get to a good stopping place) before you begin. You'll save a lot of heartache and time- and money-consuming last minute trips to the store if you plan ahead. Planning ahead also means having replacement batteries, light bulbs, toilet paper, and other small odds and ends on hand so you don't have to run out for that stuff either.

It's also common sense to plan ahead and not procrastinate (too much) so that you have to rush to make a deadline and end up with a stressful and less-than-satisfying job. Then there's planning ahead for the bigger things — like an education, a home, or a trip. Save your money, do some research, and make the choices that are right for you.

9. Know how to be creative
Think of where our world would be if people had never been creative. Stone tools, fire, metal tools, machinery, textiles, electronics: all came from people who thought outside the proverbial box. You can, too. Creativity is partly about knowing how to make do; adapting recipes when you're missing an ingredient or two, improving, beautifying, or fixing up your home and garden without buying unnecessary stuff, turning a worn pair of pants into a quilt or a bag. But creativity is also about going with the flow, adaptability, and innovation. Know how to enjoy and change your trip when things don't go according to plan. Try a new way of gift-giving if holidays are stressful — a donation to a nonprofit or a gift of time, for instance. If the time and place and way you currently choose to work or go to school aren't working for you, figure out a new way of doing things. Our world needs more people with creative solutions to problems. Anyone with a little common sense can be an innovator.

10. Know thyself
This is the most important, often the hardest, but also the most rewarding common sense thing you can know. We're all different — what we're good at, what we're not so good at, what we believe in, what we thinks makes for a happy life, a loving partner, and a good friend. Who are you? What gifts — and challenges — do you have? What makes you happy? If you know yourself, you're more likely to have a good life, make the right choices, and learn when to say "yes" and when to say "no."

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About Common Sense
Common Sense is written by Jane Dwinell and Dana Dwinell-Yardley, a mother-daughter blog team. They live on an urban homestead in Montpelier. Send them your questions and comments about food, fuel, family, or financial independence! Write to mountaingirl at vtlink dot net. You can also check out some of their other writings at their website: www.spiritoflifepublishing.com.