Running For My Mum

So much for my Goal of not Running - I had just decided to take up Walking, due to my recent back trouble.  I had put my name down for the 'Relay For Life' and the timeslot for my part in the Team was 5.30-6.30am - another early start for us.  When I got there to the Team tent, the organiser told me that I was down for the Running Team - luckily I had my Running gear on under my layers of clothing.  Happily, I took up the Challenge - I felt that the Universe would support me - I'm Running For My Mum.

I do love Running.  And I Love My Mum.  It is wonderful being involved in the 'Relay For Life' - just so wonderful to participate in a Community Event. 

              

There were a lot of people walking and running.  I was really impressed with these two young guys who were so positive and energetic and cheering everyone - I instantly felt Connection with these two young guys and I asked them to send me positive energy and we would have a quick chat or 'high five' when I passed by them.

I was most excited that my Man, my Dad, my Brother, my Niece Ashley and my Aunty Maureen also came to the Event to walk.  I loved that they were all there with me.  My Mum was supposed to come, but she is not very well at the moment (luckily, thankfully, miraculously this is not cancer related - Mum is in remission). 

At first when I started Running, I thought that it would be a hard 1 hour - yet I knew in my heart that I was Running For My Mum and that gave me energy - it was easy to run and rise to the Challenge, knowing the battles that my Mum has fought and won.  Having my Family there was also wonderful since every lap I could say hello. 

And it was so great as Ashley ran with me every now and then - and she loved it, and I loved it, and I held her hand - we talked about school and how proud I am of her and how much I love her and how she is such a good girl, and how it is so good and so important that she looks after her Sisters.  And very importantly, in simple terms, I shared with her why we were there today, and that we were raising money and how important it is to help others - Ashley understood and said that she is raising money at her school. It was such a special morning and I can't wait to be involved again next year.  I loved that Ashley was also talking about coming next year and wanting her little Sister to come too - Olivia. 

I just love doing what I can do, even it means getting up early to run for 1 hour and raise some money - all acts of Community and Charity are in line with my Mission to Spread The Yellow.  My wish is that they find a cure - cancer is such a deadly, heartbreaking disease.  I am conscious that my Man lost his Father to cancer.  I am sad that his Mum has lost her Husband.  I am sad that I will never meet my Man's Dad.  I believe that he lives on through the stories (and I enjoy hearing the stories) and through my Man.  I believe that he is in heaven - no doubt that he is with his own Mum and that he has met my Nana and Papa - perhaps they are all having a beer together on a veranda in the clouds.

We had plans to go out today and see my friend at the Vegan Festival - and I was so Excited about going to visit all the great Vegan Stalls - yet once we were home, I didn't feel so good and found myself in bed having a rest and then spent the afternoon on the couch relaxing watching 'Avatar'.  Wow - what an incredible movie - I loved it - I LOVED IT!!! 

              

         

         

It is hard to put into words how wonderful this movie is - how it touches you.  How devastating to see Pandora's land and people being taken over by humans - one cannot help to think of our own Indigenous.  I love the love story, I love how he finds a "place among the people" (I am Inspired), I love how they greet each other with "I See You" (I love these words and the meaning and depth of these words), I love the acknowledgement of the energy of nature and energy of our ancestors, I felt touched when Jake thanked the animal when he killed it, I love that the female helicopter pilot saves the day and is her own person, rather than blindly following orders.

I love when he talks about trusting his body - what his body can do - hmm... this resonates with me.  I love Exercise and I am going to trust my body - feel into my intuition to get a sense of whether I should just walk or run or even swim or just rest. 

I really love when Jake said "You chose me for something, I will stand and fight, You know I will".  I am Inspired!!

I really love the ending - I watched it about 3 or 4 times.  I really love the ending song.  I love the words.

"I see you

I see you

Walking through a dream I see you
My light in darkness breathing hope of new life
Now I live through you and you through me
Enchanting
I pray in my heart that this dream never ends 

I see me through your eyes
Living through life flying high
Your life shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love 

You teach me how to see
All that's beautiful
My senses touch your world I never pictured
Now I give my hope to you
I surrender
I pray in my heart that this world never ends 

I see me through your eyes
Living through life flying high
Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life
I offer my love, for you 

When my heart was never open
(And my spirit never free)
To the world that you have shown me
But my eyes could not division
All the colours of love and of life ever more 

Ever more (I see me through your eyes)
(Living through life flying high)
Flying high 

Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice

And live through your love
And live through your life
I see you
I see you"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igjSxrCXsMo


I am Inspired!!!

Eating Animals

I have been reading the book 'Eating Animals' by Jonathan Safran Foer for the last few weeks.  It is definitely a book that has opened my eyes and opened my heart. 

I read a few pages each day - there are so many stories, so many facts and figures - so much heartbreak.

I saw this book promoted on 'Ellen' and I loved hearing the author talk about his Mission to create Conversations after reading his book.  This book definitely has the ability to create Conversations.  It has the capacity to change lives - change the world - one by one.  I am Inspired to make changes in my life.

I could retype sections or paragraphs from the book - there is so much in this book - yet there are some parts in the book that really stand out for me.  The author talks about his dog, how much he loves his dog and offers the space for us to consider why it would never be okay (in most countries) for us to eat our dogs, yet that we find it easy to eat meat from cows, chickens, pigs.  Another similar story that stands out for me is the story of Knut, the first polar bear born to Berlin Zoo in 30 years, and how much Knut was loved by the City with people crowding into the zoo to watch Knut - yet just a few metres away from Knut's enclosure was a stand selling "Wurst de Knut", made from the flesh of factory-farmed pigs, "which are at least as intelligent and deserving of our regard as Knut.  This is the species barrier."

 

It is surprising to me, when I read about "Bycatch" - the amount of species that are regularly killed in pursuit of "seafood" - "What if there were labeling on our food letting us know how many animals were killed to bring our desired animal to our plate?... Imagine being served a plate of sushi.  But this plate also holds all of the animals that were killed for your serving of sushi.  The plate might have to be five feet across."

This statement stands out for me - "Factory farming's success depends on consumers' nostalgic images of food production - the fisherman reeling in fish, the pig farmer knowing each of his pigs as individuals, the turkey rancher watching beaks break through eggs - because these images correspond to something we respect and trust."  It is interesting - I believe it is all about Awareness and Consciousness - if the regular consumer was aware of the facts and images behind Eating Animals - I am sure that people would make different choices.  It is similar to the plight of Orang-utans - I am sure if people had a Consciousness that using regular soap means chopping down tress that threaten Orang-utans, than I am sure that people would look for alternatives.

Consciousness is a big thing for me - I am wanting to be Conscious of my choices in terms of the Environment and Eating Animals.  Recently we went to Yum Cha with friends - it was crazy (in my opinion) - we all sat around a round table and we just kept getting dishes and dishes and dishes and dishes and dishes served to us - I just kept hearing friends saying "yes" "yes" "yes" "yes" "yes" - and what appeared to be eating unconsciously between tangents of stories.  I love getting together with friends - and yet I was very happy that last week we met at a cafe, where I happily enjoyed a Vegetarian pizza with my Man and most of all enjoyed more space for great Conversations with friends - more opportunity to Connect, time of Spread The Yellow.

I am only halfway through the book - and I am distressed when I read descriptions of the suffering of cows, pigs and chickens.  The author has not included any photos - yet these are easy to find on the Internet.  Here is a site on what is happening in Australia - images and words are definitely upsetting - there is a lot of information on this site - http://www.all-creatures.org/articles/ar-mindless.html

I have previously been a Vegan - this was about 8 years ago.  At the same time I was very into my Running, and so I was very much into my carbs - eating a lot of pasta - rather than learning about healthy Vegan living.  I am now finding it more difficult to eat animal flesh - I don't eat chicken or red meat.  And I have been hesitant to take on the label of Vegetarian - even though this is definitely my preference - Eating Animals no longer works for me.

Last time I adopted a Vegan lifestyle, it was difficult - mentally, emotionally, socially.  I remember not wanting to use the same chopping board or knives as my ex-husband (yes, I was obsessive) - and I remember going out to dinner and asking the waiter 20 questions, such as, asking about the stock used in the risotto.  Looking back this was a stressful time - especially, since my relationship was not working.

I feel different now.  I do not want to get so stressed or restrictive - although I do want to make Conscious choices.  I also no longer want to get up on the soapbox and try and convince others to change or adopt a certain lifestyle.  I can only make choices for myself and be true to myself.  Most important for me is respecting the choices of others, where we meet in a peaceful space. 

In my heart, Eating Animals does not feel right for me.  Yet this is a journey - at this point I am still eating fish (Consciously) - although the facts in this book are definitely upsetting - and I am always conscious of blessing the fish before I eat them - although - it is still very hard for me.

And I live with my Man who enjoys eating meat.  I learnt a lot from living with my ex-husband and I want to always Learn from my experiences.  And so I accept our differences.  Tonight I eat a Vegetarian patty and salad, and although my Man would normally cook his own meat, he is working later, he has been working so hard, with so little sleep, and so I bless his meat and cook it for him.  In my Mission to Love and Serve through my Coaching and as I Spread The Yellow, it is important to me that I always make time and space for my Loved ones.  I am Grateful to be at home and we enjoy dinner together.

I don't like preparing and cooking Animals, I don't like Eating Animals - yet, I love my Man - and I am glad to prepare a meal for him - since he has been happily enjoying all my Vegetarian dishes. 

I will continue to read this book and continue to embrace a preference for a Vegetarian lifestyle, without the label (for now), and I will see where this Journey flows...