The celebration is over and all that is left is to pick up stuff, put stuff away and get back to the more regular pace of daily living. There is some leftover food, some leftover mess ,some stray Easter straw, empty Easter eggs, baskets and the like hanging around.
an empty Easter basket and some overripe bananas and hand painted wooden Easter Eggs from the grandchiblets!
All in all, it was a great visit-hectic, but that is to be expected with two young kids in tow. My granddaughter was entertaining, as usual and I am blessed to have received some good hugs, kisses and loving from her and her brother.
My brunch was a hit ( I think) and the weather was nice enough to permit going outside to play some family hockey, Frisbee and catch. It really was fun and it warms my heart to see my family engaging with one another in such a positive way.
All of this togetherness leads me to think about kindness and compassion and the role it plays in both family life and the advocacy for the nonhuman animals raised for our use. There is no question that families can survive when there is a lack of kindness and compassion, but I presume that they do not thrive in a way that nourishes all of its members.
Dr Will Tuttle teaches us that this absence of kindness and compassion in our lives is a direct result of our herding culture. Continuing to practice long held traditions that persecute nonhuman animals ensures that we will not awaken to the kindness which dwells within.
I would imagine that this lack of compassion leads us to be callous in our personal lives, to hurt by intention or omission those we imagine to be important to us. So, in the end, we end up as trapped as the nonhuman animals who suffer today and every day.
The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. When we lift the veil and see the suffering our food habits cause, when we connect with the reality of the defenseless beings who suffer so terribly because of our food choices, our indifference dissolves and compassion-its opposite- arises, urging us to act on behalf of those who are suffering.
Annie’s Vegan View
It can be a journey of rediscovering the kindness and compassion that lie dormant within us, covered up by a long history of destructive herding traditions.
Indifference, no longer needs to hold us back or to wound us-emotionally, spiritually, physically and so on. We will be open to receiving all the bounty this life has to offer us.
I encourage you to think about what you can bring to this oh so worthy cause. What is your talent, your passion that can open the doors of freedom for those who suffer at our hands? What will your contribution be?
May all beings be happy and free.
I just got my copy of the World Peace diet and can’t wait to start reading it!
Hi Cindy, Looking very forward to hearing your comments. I have such respect for Will and Madeline Tuttle. The book itself helped to affirm my commitment, to educate me on the history of our herding culture and how it is supported in religion, medicine, our eating traditions, to mention a few. I learned that change is possible and that we, as individuals, can be part of that change.
Peace, Anne
Hi Anne!
I still haven’t read,” the world peace diet”. I know you have recommended it to me and reading this it has made me want to read it all the more. My reading list is so long now I don’t know where to begin to be honest with you. I have just finished reading, “Motivational Methods of Vegan Advocacy” A Psychological Approach and I have found it invaluable as a new vegan activist. I am still trying to work out where best I can be effective with the knowledge and gifts that I might have. I want more than anything to learn how to best use them for the good of my animal friend brothers and sisters. We CAN be the change we want to see in the world.
Peace to you too
God Bless
Rachel Weightman
Hi Rachel,
I too have a very long reading list. There are also books, like The World Peace Diet and Motivation Methods of Vegan Advocacy, that I want to re-read.
It does take some time to develop an advocacy strategy that effectively uses our talents and perspective on life. I am still working at it. I think what is key here is intention – the intention not to intentionally harm and the intention of making a difference.
Take care.
Anne