veggies for life

I have decided:
I am becoming a vegetarian. It was likely to happen.
This nagging awareness that I was doing something silly.
How could I possibly eat those that are my friends?


When words unsaid are spoken
Nose to nose
When my curly hair is torn from my skull as they nibble
the practicing of their social rites of fitting me into
their group (because I smell funny goat Mia says).


How could I possibly eat my friends?


I have started to understand them 
that I know what they want
When they have pain and where
and what they want for dinner.
And how they want their beds made.
When they need clean water.
When they want cuddles and hoof holding.


How could I possibly eat my friends?


And even when Lisa the mini goat gets stuck in the fence again
as she's always curious
and always eager for the greener grass
I keep pulling her out and setting her free again.
As she dances off with a guilty face
I know she will do it again anyway but that's ok.
Looking after them is top priority.


How could I possibly eat my friends?


Why would it be hard to give up eating meat
when I can stop eating my friends.
And I can look them in the eye and say:
don't worry I'm one of you now:
I only eat greens.
I am part of your fuzzy tribe.


How could I possibly eat my friends?

(picture of Kuddles our 2 year old highland steer)

friends

So with your friends: do you look after them no matter what? Do you ward of foes? Do you always hold their hand? Do you tell them everything? What is the friendship protocol? Is it earth quake sensitive?


I guess for everyone it's different where they draw the line in what they are willing to do for their friends. And I'm not talking about the lady you always talk to at the counter of your local supermarket with her "Jenny" name tag and bubbly demeanor however lovely she may be.


Sometimes the best thing you can do for your friend is to let them work out what ever it is that is troubling them, because if you wouldn't give them space you would deprive them of the experience of self discovery. There are also times when you know you have to stick around, bring them soup, sit at their bed and tell silly stories of crazy tea-cosies or have a pillow fight instead.


So: how do you know what to do for a friend? I think you know when you listen to your feelings about it. They are your internal guidance system: it never fails you and it's always handy. Pay attention to what it says. If you feel you have to back off do so, if you feel you have to come to the rescue do so. If you feel you have to stay put do so. Not everyone may understand why you do what you do but that is beside the point as you know what you have to do. And as you are going by your best assessment on any given situation at any time, how could you possibly go wrong?
Here's another toast to instinct and intuition and doing the "right thing" for your friends.

treatment

I like writing about people, not about individuals in a gossipy manner, but how all of us are exploring this vast universe, our world, our private thoughts, our interactions with others. One of my goals is to offer information about these explorations to many people who are looking for it, to meet others and to share knowledge. I would be the first to say: hello you! I'm learning too!

If you would live by yourself all the time, like a hermit, what would you learn really? Don't we learn most when we are interacting with others? At times, the more friction, or upset, the more we can learn, although I wouldn't advocate starting arguments or wars in order to achieve that progress. I read somewhere that the people who challenge us the most, who touch us deeply or simply piss us off beyond belief, are our best teachers. I think this is very accurate.

Instead of perceiving other people as the ones who I'd never like to see again and stay far away from, I have found that it actually doesn't bother me anymore, quite literally too, if I do run into them on occasion it's all fine with me. This is a funny thing and surprisingly: offers great freedom. I can actually wish them well, even if I choose not to be friends with them anymore. I guess we can only be "free" from those, if we have learned to let go of the notion  that we somehow have to "be right" at the end of the conversation, or the silly idea that we always know best. I prefer to think of it as a wise and mature approach, and whenever I catch myself being stuck in an "ego" debate I try to look past whatever it is and "get over it" by realizing I'm being petty or that I don't know all the details.

Being right has never brought anyone anything, except ignorance and arrogance. Haven't we got better things to do? Aren't all of us here to do the same thing? To experience, to grow, and to have fun in a loving and preferably more or less safe environment? I like the idea of treating everyone I meet as if they were related to me in some fashion. This automatically meant I would treat them well, support them in whatever they do and help them if asked for. I will not ask them for anything, as I have all I need inside of me and everyone has got enough to do already. Still, many manage to surprise me with their love, friendship and honesty. To me, that is the most valuable thing of all.

friends and strangers

Interesting ponderings lately. I'm having "Happy Tuesday" and am sharing another mindpoppy with you. (Feel free to give feedback in the comment section.)


Many of us yarn or rabbit or talk or chat or tweet or post or write or brag or ponder about learning and the art of progress. This takes individual forms and unique expressions. For each and every one of us there is a goal or direction of some description, there may be a dream or vision, there may be some cash available or maybe not, there may be support from others or maybe not. Still: the fact that you are reading this post implies you have:
a. things in common with me, otherwise you'd be on YouTube watching some chimps in action, or actually doing your work or getting those dishes done and
b. you have things in common with the other readers of this blog as well. This I find a very nice idea. In this time of rapid technological advancement they say there is no solitude anymore, unless you seek it. The beauty is really to meet other groovy souls we otherwise wouldn't have, as the beaming up technology is not yet available to us.


This morning I received an email from Simon Mainwaring to say I had won the book "Crush it" by Gary Vaynerchuk, signed, sealed and delivered. I was surprised. I was excited. I was grateful. And I thought: interesting how inspiring people are so compelling and also: how cool to befriend people all over the globe. To have dialogs, questions, more questions then answers, stories, at time advice, and always the joy of discovery.


After the first phase we get the second phase: personal stories and more sharing. To offer more details of the things we did that were embarrassing, the cock ups, the sheer stupidity, the learning curves. A friend of mine told me there are many posers out there. I understand the sentiment. It is true that it is hard for some to be transparent and genuine. Instead of getting annoyed we might feel these people we come accross are maybe not yet sure of what they are really about. I don't know, but it's worth considering. The point is we have a choice always whom we want to give attention to. We also have the inhibitions to be careful, as our parents drummed into us not to accept candy from strange men and not walk home alone. Especially not when you're a girl.


Still, I'm all for keeping the door open, more so then keeping it shut. When we have been snubbed, conned, let down, hurt or just plain feel disappointed, it's tempting to say: they did it! And not try again. But really; who's losing out? In the end you find it's in your best interest to keep trying and happily hoping. Be sensible, but keep that door open, because there are great people out there and basically you make the choice yourself, by expressing who you are, to draw towards you those that you want to find. If you are not happy with who you are seeing, focus on those you would like to see instead. 


The world is diverse, and it's truly amazing to be alive and kicking today. Kudos to you all. "Live long and prosper."
.

Zen and work

With working every day there's always that thing about finding the precarious balance of ZEN and letsgo letsgo letsgo! Nico and I agreed we have to watch our input-output levels. The fuses get short at times when we do too much stuff in a day. This is of course entirely our own fault. Mad dutchy disease. We collapse in the evening to get up early again. Times when we had fluffy duck weekends are something out of books and we have some very vague memories of them. Naturally we don't understand people who get bored in their time off or who can lay about on their sofas falling asleep. What IS with that? Really.


Now the best fluffy time is crammed in the times we visit 2 week old calf Bella to bottle feed her and then watch her zoom around the paddock at top speed chasing the goats. It's a good thing Glen the dog has retired as Bella can easily do his work... she's a natural. To the dismay of the goat girls who are still wondering whether Bella is a dog, a funny smelling goat or an alien that's landed in their domain.

(this is when mum Kate was still watching too, now Bella's moved to the goatie pasture.)

our little girl is growing up. Kapow!

Still life is great on the prairie and we wouldn't want to miss it. Even with all the things we have to do to increase its appeal and workability.

And it's also good to share, with some friends who come help feeding and literally pitch their tents for the night.