Archive for June 15th, 2012

Goodwill

I took this photo at the Goodwill outside my Toronto apartment

In our consumer driven society we’re used to wanting. We convince ourselves that we need this or we need that, and that possession will essentially make us happier. It’s sort of like a drug though, isn’t it? Constantly needing our next fix, we’ll do anything, spend all our money for the latest gadget to satisfy our instant gratification.

I made the choice to become a vegetarian because I believe in animal welfare. After reading countless articles, and books and watching videos about how animals are mistreated to feed our gluttonous impulses, I couldn’t eat another steak without tremendous guilt. So seven years ago I made the decision to remove meat from my diet cold turkey (pardon the pun) and have never looked back. My health has never been better.

The advice I give other people who want to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle is to eat less meat first, and then inform themselves about the process of how their food ends up on their plate. Later if they decide that vegetarianism is not for them, that’s fine, but perhaps instead of eating meat seven days a week, they can eat meat three days a week. The essential part, is that they inform themselves, and make little changes that will save an animal’s life.

This is excellent advice for everything. Most of the material objects we convince ourselves we need have been derived through conspicuous means. When it comes to our smart phones, how much do we know about the ingredients used to make them? Very little. What you will learn, might shock you.

I challenge myself to go without “stuff” as much as I can. I’m not perfect, and I fail like everyone else, but I make the effort, because I want to ensure that I’m spreading goodwill.

For the past couple of years I’ve gone without a cell phone. Each month I go through my closet and donate my clothes to charity. I volunteer my time at local animal shelters, and work for not-for-profit, and charitable organizations that are committed to positively impacting the lives of individuals who have been marginalized by our youth obsessed, and able society.

I’m not saying that you have to do all these things, but I am saying that we can all make little efforts throughout our lives that will permeate the air with a little goodwill.

Goodwill can make a person’s day. It can liberate us all.

Let’s do more of it.