Friday, April 8, 2011

Fruit cutting provokes lifechanging attitute in woman

Making up for a week’s worth of bad dietary choices for meals I cut up 2 plums, an apple, a banana, 2 cuties and an orange with a plastic knife (we all know how easy it is to cut with a plastic knife, don’t we now). Guilt free - I throw the scraps and peels in the new “Compostable” bin at work, as I drink tea out of my ceramic red and white polka dot cup I feel proud of my “Save Mother Earth” tactics . Guilt ridden - I throw away the plastic knife and reach out for yet another paper towel to dry my hands on and fish for a plastic fork in the cutlery drawer (which I know I will throw away after my fruit is over). Why do I have the feeling that for every green step forward I gravitate two steps backwards? Not being able to make a dent in the land fills with my garbage is an upsetting thought. Nevertheless, I’ll survive.


I think to myself, why do I use the plastic cutlery even when using it turns me into a guilt ridden scum of the earth? I’ve promised myself for months now (threatening myself) to buy a set of utensils to warm up my food at work. Why don’t I just do it for once and for all and be done with it already? What’s stopping me? I dig deeper and do some self analysis. The word strikes me like a lightning bolt. I have an “aha” moment. The word is “Convenience”. After all isn’t it easier to use a paper cup (or worse, a Styrofoam cup) and throw it away when you are done. Do you really want to wash the plate and utensils after your lunch (especially if you are Indian and are having Indian food , still don’t get it – haldi/turmeric power stains is the fear. Ever tried getting those out and you’ll know what I’m talking about). Hmmm so that makes my convenience more important than my concern for our environment. I now know that this is the bad ugly truth about me. That’s the reason I gravitate two steps backwards, after all one definition of gravitate is: “To be attracted by or as if by an irresistible force”. That irresistible force is my convenience.

Now that I know the truth about myself I also know that good intentions are not enough, good intentions are just as bad as bad intentions if you don’t act of them. Take a moment to reflect and think back to times when you wanted to do good but did not take action against it. Reflect on moments that you wanted to step in to help but did not due to various excuses we all make up in our heads. Reflect on how you felt when things went wrong although you knew deep inside your heart and soul that only if you had over-looked your convenience, stepped out of your comfort zone and put those good intentions into action the results could have been better.

I vow to make a conscious effort to step out of my norms which are convenient for me and to try to make a difference every day. This sounds cliché even to my ears but Mother Earth is calling out to us for a little bit of consideration of how we have been treating her (for our own convenience) and asking for help. She is asking us to make changes to our lifestyle so that she can sustain “us” safely.

Now, what that said - back to attacking my fruit!