Vegetarianism Part 1

One of the bulls on the farm.

A few days ago, based on a recommendation, I sat down to watch Schindler's list. As I began watching I was captured by the beauty of the story, a single man trying to save hundreds of Jewish people from the holocaust. And like most people watching, many parts of the story, made me sick. Not from a bad storytelling point of view, but the opposite,from the pure truth conveyed: the thousands of people crammed into train cars, freezing, starving, shot to death for no reason, torture and cruelty. They were treated as animals, which brought up some deep thoughts. 

     Now I've been vegetarian for what feels like a significant part of my life, but it was mostly for my own benefit. Others can do as they will, eat what they want, I'll eat my tofu and veggies. 

       Watching this film changed that for me though, while watching my heart went out for those poor men and woman of the past, but also brought up some significant thoughts about the habits of flesh consumption. People are not that far removed from animals, yes we have complex speech patterns, wear clothing, and are definitely a high and complex society, and yet... animals, many of those eaten by the human population; cattle, sheep, pigs.... They love and care for their young, they have fear and content; they can be trained and so have intelligence. There was a time when it was necessary for survival  to eat animals.  A family's next meal was based upon the skill of the hunter, but we have now come to a place in our so-called complex society where eating meat is actually the convenience, animals are literally grown for the purpose of being murdered so a boy or girl somewhere can add to an unhealthy breakfast of bacon. 

    In Schindler's list as human beings were herded onto trains. Fear in their eyes and hearts, my first thought was "they're being treated like animals!"then  my second thought was "why should animals be treated that way!?" I mean... If its so horrible to treat a human being that way, why is it acceptable to treat animals any less? 

    The other day I was down in the farm yards where some cattle are being kept. Four young black bulls were in a good sized pen together, I suspect getting fattened up for the slaughterhouse. I was standing by the fence looking at them when one walked over and thrust it's head at me. Brought on by various unpleasant experiences of bulls in India, I quickly backed away from the fence. Although only a year old, the young bull was already large. Instead of blowing and snorting, the bull simply looked up at me. I stepped closer, and put a hand out gingerly, he gently put his head against it and I started to scratch his forehead, and he immediately responded, leaning into the touch to get more and looking contented, as a dog or horse would. I stopped the scratching and he nudged me, waiting to see what he would do I put my hand down. A rough, pink tongue shot out and licked my hand. He looked up at me "um... Hello?" He seemed to say. Then proceeded to wash my hand with his tongue. Giggling at his persistence I scratched him again until it was time to go back to my chores. He watched me leave. 

    Now that's what I don't understand, within a few years that sweet gentle bull is going to be loaded on a truck and slaughtered for someone's dinner, much the same way the Jews were less then a hundred years ago. Will there ever be a time when a film is made bringing up empathy for the animals being herded on trucks to their death? Unfortunately I don't think so. In this day and age, despite having enough alternative foods to eat healthily, and actually more so, then if eating meat, the human population just likes meat. They like the taste, the simplicity, the luxury.  While there were some people who opposed the holocaust many turned a blind eye and just continued on. They were the normal ones at the time, but now we think of them as cruel. I can only wish that we as a society that call ourselves complex can one day think upon those who eat meat as cruel. Again I doubt that will happen. People are convinced meat is their... Birthright. Something needed for survival. It is not, we aren't lions or wolves, meat is not needed for a healthy diet, and many studies have found that vegetarians are in fact much healthier. I've heard every excuse in the book, I've listened to hundreds of reasons why people don't eat mean, or people telling me to eat meat for this reason or that. Yet, I've also been to a slaughterhouse, seen animals put on a truck bid for death, I've seen the fear in the faces, and I have seen those animals before murder, as sweet and innocent as a child not knowing the horror just around the corner. I understand that it's simply part of the first world lifestyle to eat meat, and that is fine for them. But the next time you bite into a hamburger I sincerely request to bring up in your minds eye the animal it came from and ask yourself if it is morally ok for you to eat it. That's just one reason, besides all those concerning the environment and your health. Obviously this was written from an... Emotional place and I think is part one. I wanted to talk about more then the unfairness of the meat industry, such as my personal situation in Ireland and my struggle to keep true to my diet (thus far successful though!) so check back in for part two! Coming soon to computers now... 

The Neutral Zone

I walk down the Grand Canal path, wrapped tightly up in multiple sweaters and jackets, leggings under jeans, wool socks inside thermal wellies. The tail of my ever present french braid rests limply on one shoulder; I do miss wearing my hair out. The sun comes out from behind the grey clouds for a minute and shines on my face, despite the cool air the morning is beautiful and wipes away the sleep from my eyes. It is a moment of contentment, not quite to the point of happy, but not the feelings of irritation I have much of the time.
    In my last entry I wrote about how everything has a purpose, and while that is true and I really try and accept that as much as possible, it is still hard being completely on your own, that is without your own family, for the first time in your life and so suddenly. Due to this there are some matters that strike as hard, and also some things about being in another culture that are rough, a different way of life, different food, a new kind of people to get used to, and new language. The first few weeks here when any of my friends would ask me how I liked Ireland my immediate answer would be one more on the negative side. Thankfully I am now settled even more then my last entry and living life. I wouldn't say I am happy not those feelings of constant joy and zeal to be living, but I am content with where I am, what I am doing. I suppose you could say I'm in a bit of a neutral zone. I do have moments where I am quite frustrated, and others where my belly hurts from laughter... Ironically those moments occur just so that they almost feel like they can be thrown into that neutral zone as well.
    For some reason thinking about this... these long philosophical thoughts coming mostly during the long walks along the canal, I keep thinking back to something Swamiji said, I don't remember the exact quote, but it was something along the lines of: true bliss is not being happy, but being in a space where your mood is not effected by outside emotion. You are neither sad nor happy, just being. When he said this as a frequently happy 14 year old all I could think was that I didn't want to live in bliss (the ultimate goal) if thats what it was. I wanted to be happy all the time because that was more fun.
     I'm not sure where my opinions on that particular matter stand now, but it is interesting that that is almost the state I am now. Not saying at all that I am living in a state of bliss... I don't think that is the word for me at the moment. Maybe later... but now now, I think that the neutral zone fits perfecting. I suppose thats enough for now, it's past midnight and I've had a very long full day and tomorrow promises to be another one, so sleep is probably a good idea I am exhausted, I don't quite know what I even just wrote... perhaps this blog should be called Meanderings of a Sleepless Sugar-High Teenage Traveler.  More later... and I might even be awake next time! 

Everything is For A Reason

   

St. Patrick's Cathedral Tower

     I have fallen below the standard, but here I am, writing again in the hopes of redeeming myself. I have finally settled into my life here in Ireland, and somewhat of a routine, and unfortunately with that the laziness also slipped in. I have spent massive amounts of time reading, but I'm not to cross with myself as it is something I haven't done in about two years because of high school madness and it it nice to reenter the world of literature. (Game of Thrones is the book at hand, a bloody, gory, fabulous world to slip into I must say.) Additionally I have been working on college stuff taking up all the time I a lot to "serious computer stuff" as I call it... and therefore the blog writing... hasn't happened.
    But! Two trips to Dublin, and one adventure at the national ploughing championships later I am back. To much has happened to go into great detail about these events, so instead I'd rather talk about the deep and serious thoughts that have been plaguing my mind of late, (when I wasn't wondering what would befall the Starks and Dany).
   First off: I am completely and truly convinced that every single thing happens in ones life for a reason. I've always sort of told myself this, but it wasn't until the events of the last two weeks that I feel I started to believe it from the depths of my heart. I got the fantastic opportunity to act as a runner for RTE or Raidió Teilifís Éireann, an Irish news network. The days before leading up to it as scared out of my socks that I was going to completely mess up everything, and they'd hate me, and... it was bad. The day dawned though and I immedietly settled into the work and among the crowds running to do the bidding of various reporters, and coming back to the hub of the press tent with reporters, photographers, videographers, writers, and journalists of all sorts milling about, I felt so... at home. I remember rushing through the crowds on an errand, weaving a path through the people and trying to find a particular location, and I just had the biggest smile on my face and the only thought in my head was, this was what I needed to do. What I was meant to do. The whole day everything that happened seemed like I had been methodically prepared for my whole life. Like all the journalism classes in school I had taken on a whim, the years of of making videos for the temple, and assisting the acharyas in their classes, the various temple openings... all of it seemed to prepare me for this day. I kept thinking to myself "I will never curse something I hate again" because all those little things I used to hate had made me ready for what I was doing now. 
     So standing strong with this new resolution, to make an effort to really appreciate everything because it probably had a purpose, I set out on a new adventure: Dublin. It was a few days after the Ploughing Championships which had then become a fond memory by then. When I spontaniously decided to go the following day. It's an hour by train, which I can catch quite easily as the station isn't far from my place of residence. I had been playing with the idea for sometime, but I despise being alone more then anything, and the idea of exploring an entire city by my lonesome did not exactly suit me. But it was time, I needed to see the famous Dublin. I took the train and found the bus, I was a bit nervous being on my own, but doing fine and proud of myself. I found a seat on the bus, but quickly became aware of the fact I had no idea when to get off and so hesitantly questioned the girl beside me. She looked about my age, maybe a little older. Well in the true way of my life within five minutes we were friends. She offered to give me a tour of Dublin and off we went. 
     It turned out the girl was a year younger and lived a train ride away in Kerry Co. She came up to Dublin once a week for a music lesson, but had arrived a few hours early and so had plenty of time to show a complete stranger from the USA around the little city. As we walked down Grafton St. The famous tourist street of Dublin filled with flower sellers, musicians, and high end shops she asked me 
     "Do you talk to complete strangers like this often?" 
     "Not quite like this" I replied
     "Well I'm glad you did" she said
     "Me too." I said truthfully. Never truly alone, as one of my dear friends once said "You could make friends in a cardboard box." After my tour, a lovely walk through a park, and a restaurant recommendation, my new friend had to leave for her lesson and after a hug and exchange for information she departed. It was past noon, but not late enough to return home so now the real challenge began. Fate had smiled upon me to ease me into this completely new situation, but there was a point where I needed to step out on my own two feet and take the world in stride. I back tracked,  rediscovering the world she had led me through, and then moved out finding new shops and haunts on my own. I discovered the Dublin Castle and St. Patrick's Cathedral, old cobbled streets, little shops I made sure to remember. Finally it was time to return home, and I did so tired, but content. 
     Less then a week later I made the journey again, this time I did not look for a companion, although I suppose that had not been my intent on my last trip. I set out despite the cold rain for a day of museums. That day i feel I truly learned to value my own company, a valuable assest to any human being. We come into this world alone, and we will die alone, so the saying goes. I needed to learn to be alone. I spent the morning walking through old Collin's Barracks and gathered up Irish History at stored it at the back of my mind, telling myself this was the educational part of this gap year. Then I stood in the rain for an extended period of time to see the Book of Kells and the old library at Trinity College. A grand affair, and definitely a sight to see in one's lifetime, although that day in the rain I was in lousy mood by the time I left. I cheered myself up at a Starbucks and finished my day with a little shopping at Penny's which I here declare the most fantastic store on earth. All the clothing and accessories you could want, brand new, good brands, and for next to nothing. I practically felt like I was stealing it was so cheap, and really good quality at that. Then another train ride home, the rain soaked fields rushing past the large window. 
   You never know what the universe has in store for you, that you can only wait and see. You can prepare though, you can appriciate all that happens, smile upon all the cross your path, and love yourself, for that is who you are and who will live with to the end of the days. If all that is done why not be happy? For there is nothing more you can do. Now the pages of Game of Thrones are calling, as they lay idle beside me on the bed. So goodnight my friends and be well, and remember, everything is for a reason.