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| The millions of species of life on Earth are all part of a sacred spiral that binds us all. |
Life is something that has been woefully cheapened these days. Human beings are disturbingly expendable, and many thousands are sacrificed every week at the altar to the military-industrial complex and the lust for power, money and glory.
How we treat non-human life is regrettably worse. We are nasty to each other, and we are deadly to the life forms that are either tasty, or that get in the way of our plans and ambitions. Billions and billions of Earth's creatures are slaughtered every year to feed humans.
How can one celebrate life and do it justice, while engaging in its destruction at the same time? Those fluffy yellow balls of chicks are cute, but many more like them are going to be debeaked, warehoused, then killed after short lives stuffed in cages while we steal their eggs.
Unless they are males in which case they are "quickly macerated" shortly after birth. Not exactly an image you want to think about on the first day of Spring.
Unless they are males in which case they are "quickly macerated" shortly after birth. Not exactly an image you want to think about on the first day of Spring.
Like us, chickens and cows and pigs and turkeys and fish just want to live and be free. Like us, they are sentient, and that should give us pause. Spring is a good time to think on that idea a bit.
In an article called "After 2,500 Studies, It's Time to Declare Animal Sentience Proven", cognitive ethologist Mark Bekoff writes,
"The animals will be grateful and warmly thank us for paying attention to the science of animal sentience. When we listen to our hearts, we are recognizing how much we know about what other animals are feeling and that we owe it to them to protect them however we can."
Whether the animal in question is a human or a dog or cat or fish or cow, let us reflect on how we are treating the life around us, and how we are protecting it. All life is sacred, and all life just wants to live.
Just like us.
Listen to your heart. Celebrate Life.
Happy Spring.
Let's celebrate life and maybe give a little thinking for children working in the factory that make us cheap clothing. Let's celebrate decency in our life. Saffron
ReplyDeleteBeing kinder and more decent will benefit children and all other living things. Happy spring/fall. Let's celebrate flowers and robins and warm sun on the face. And each other.
DeleteI've been celebrating new life from my patio the past couple of weeks watching fresh bright green leaves burst open on the trees. I can almost see them open with my naked eye. It is a marvel to see.
ReplyDeleteOh, you are so lucky. Spring is slow coming here, although this time last year we had heaps of snow still, and right now we have none. But we are seeing the first robins, and our neighbours have a maple syrup stall at their gate. Sure signs!
DeleteYes, but you get snow! And looks like a lot of rain on Friday for you guys. I look at your weather on Weatherunderground every time I check my weather. It's fun to keep up with what's going in in Nova Scotia! I wouldn't be doing that if I didn't know you guys through NBA. I've learned a lot!
DeleteI was in my credit union the other day and asked the person the person I was working with where he was from as he didn't have the typical southern draw accent. He said Canada. I asked where. He hesitated as he didn't think I'd know much of Canadian geography. He said Halifax. I said is that near Digby? A big warm smile came over his face and mine too. He said, you know where Digby is? Yep, I do! Told him I follow your blog. We had a nice conversation about the area. So you are a conversation piece!
I'm happy you are beginning to see signs of spring. I love winter, but love it when it ends too because spring arrives!