Last night Makenna, my 13 year old daughter, had a friend come over who informed us that she was going to be a vegetarian after watching a video posted on facebook. I asked her what it was about and soon figured out it was the same one I had seen on a website earlier that day, www.meatvideo.com She had Makenna watch it and pretty soon they were both out talking to me with tears in their eyes. They were both sad and disgusted. This was one of those moments that I knew I had raised a very compassionate child, and I am so proud of her! To hear Makenna tell me stories day after day about being asked at school why she is vegetarian, even though annoyed, she has never fallen to peer pressure, brings tears to my eyes. I am so proud that she is so strong and confident in her convictions.
When Alanna, my 11 year old daughter, came out of her room this morning with tears running down her cheeks I asked her what was wrong? She answered, "That video was so sad! It makes me so mad; I can't believe they do that to animals!" I hugged her and reassured her that she is doing her part to help alleviate animal suffering by choosing not to eat meat. Then she replied, "I don't think I'm helping that much. Everyone needs to quit eating meat and it makes me so mad to hear people say they could never live without it!" This was another one of those moments that I knew I had raised a very compassionate child and I am so proud of Alanna! Later today Alanna told me that she wants to be a Vegan and she doesn't even want to eat real cheese anymore. She has been so dedicated to her vegetarian lifestyle over the past 22 months, that she has made her lunch for school everyday. I am so proud that she has chosen to stand by her beliefs.
I have two of the most wonderful, compassionate, strong , confident , beautiful (inside and out) daughters and I could not be more proud to be their mom! Together, I believe we can change the world!
Let's all try showing more love and being more compassionate to all people, animals, and the environment. We are guardians of this earth while we are here, and should have a deep, loving respect for all.
1 comment:
That is so heartwarming and wonderful, and it speaks volumes about you as their mom, too. Sounds like Makenna's going to have at least one more vegetarian ally in school if her friend follows through on her video-inspired intention! And congratulations to Alanna on her vegan decision! It must be very tough to stand up to the peer pressure, and good for them for being so resilient and faithful to their compassionate values in the face of it. I hope they know that even when it doesn't seem like it, they are planting seeds every day (and no doubt earning a lot of unspoken respect) among their classmates, which will go a long way toward creating that more compassionate, less selfish world that Alanna (and a lot of us) wish to see.
How old are your girls? I love their names!
Post a Comment