Something just occurred to me today. I was on the back to parents from picking up a few things from my regular organic food store, and I passed a passed a guy begging on the street at a set of robots. I don’t always give, but I do try and make an effort give some change fairly regularly. It was a very small amount, and the only change I had on me at the time, and I was a little struck at his gratitude which warmed my heart a bit. Not a minute later, there was another, and the sadness of having to turn him down was a stark contrast to how I’d felt just moments before. After passing the traffic lights, it occurred to me that I had just come from a food store and saw the first guy on the way there, and I realized that more than anything else, these people are hungry. It would’ve been no skin off my back to have picked up some fruit or something similar.
Thinking about further has made me realize that for the most part, whenever I buy food, I’m only buying for myself or buying food others (by which I mean friends and family) that I would eat. It is a form of Internal Considering that I just hadn’t seen before, because I pride myself in how selective I’ve become of what food I buy. Though I’ve woken from the lie that “food is food”, I haven’t realized that this lie only applies to those that have the means to both know and do otherwise. For the rest, especially those who are barely surviving, “food is food” is very, very real. “A full man does not know a hungry one”, as G. put it.
I’ve also realized that just giving a bit of change here and there, sometimes more, sometimes less, however kind, is still a mechanical and accidental means giving to those less fortunate and in need. So, to be more conscious, I’m going to try and rather make a conscious, premeditated effort to give where I can by preparing or buying food that I can simply hand out while on the road, particularly. Trying to give out the kind of food we eat, for me, would be unaffordable or make very little difference at all. So instead, I think there’s no shame in giving food I would consider “evil” for myself. A sandwich with a butter, or even salt and peppered lard, a bit of salad and some deli meat would be unthinkable to eat myself now, but for some, it could be the best and healthiest thing they’ve in years. And would cost a fraction of what I eat for breakfast and take little time to prepare a loaf’s bread worth.
Furthermore, it’s one less mouthful that that person would have to walk to the nearest shop to get, and I’ve seen people begging at traffic lights for whom that would be at least a half hour’s walk away. And if one does it often enough, I’m pretty sure at least one other good obyvatel in ordinary life will catch on eventually. If one doing so implies that two might, by mathematical induction, there is the possibility that all those that are able could. That might be a slim chance, but it’s still infinitely greater than none at all!
I was originally going to make a short list of a few ideas, but I don’t think it’s really necessary, since one would have to consider their own circumstances anyway, like how much they can afford, how often the opportunity to give arises, time to prepare food, etc.
Just wanted to share that bit of inspiration with you all :)
Thinking about further has made me realize that for the most part, whenever I buy food, I’m only buying for myself or buying food others (by which I mean friends and family) that I would eat. It is a form of Internal Considering that I just hadn’t seen before, because I pride myself in how selective I’ve become of what food I buy. Though I’ve woken from the lie that “food is food”, I haven’t realized that this lie only applies to those that have the means to both know and do otherwise. For the rest, especially those who are barely surviving, “food is food” is very, very real. “A full man does not know a hungry one”, as G. put it.
I’ve also realized that just giving a bit of change here and there, sometimes more, sometimes less, however kind, is still a mechanical and accidental means giving to those less fortunate and in need. So, to be more conscious, I’m going to try and rather make a conscious, premeditated effort to give where I can by preparing or buying food that I can simply hand out while on the road, particularly. Trying to give out the kind of food we eat, for me, would be unaffordable or make very little difference at all. So instead, I think there’s no shame in giving food I would consider “evil” for myself. A sandwich with a butter, or even salt and peppered lard, a bit of salad and some deli meat would be unthinkable to eat myself now, but for some, it could be the best and healthiest thing they’ve in years. And would cost a fraction of what I eat for breakfast and take little time to prepare a loaf’s bread worth.
Furthermore, it’s one less mouthful that that person would have to walk to the nearest shop to get, and I’ve seen people begging at traffic lights for whom that would be at least a half hour’s walk away. And if one does it often enough, I’m pretty sure at least one other good obyvatel in ordinary life will catch on eventually. If one doing so implies that two might, by mathematical induction, there is the possibility that all those that are able could. That might be a slim chance, but it’s still infinitely greater than none at all!
I was originally going to make a short list of a few ideas, but I don’t think it’s really necessary, since one would have to consider their own circumstances anyway, like how much they can afford, how often the opportunity to give arises, time to prepare food, etc.
Just wanted to share that bit of inspiration with you all :)
