Part I: A Reflective Writing
Like a rock tossing ripples through a mountain pond
May we know that the choices we make have an impact
The choices we make have a ripple effect
May our purchases be mindful
May they be kindfully-intended
May we notice the impact we have
May we leave this planet and our places better than we found them
So that we may we always have cheese...
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The holiday season is here for many of us, and I have to ask...Hallmark movies- yay or nay?
You might have a visceral reaction to this Hallmark holiday movie craze. Maybe you find them cheesy and goofy or boring and too heteronormative. Maybe you find them as a joyful escape, as wonderful as a chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache frosting and beautiful rainbow sprinkles, or even as joyful as finding truly dairy-free cheese that melts! (It’s magical to find such things, y’all.)
As for me, I generally love ‘em (actually all of the above) - in all their perfect imperfection! I love some of the little snapshots of life they create, the predictable scripts and themes they include, the obvious joy some of the characters embody- they just make me smile, sometimes. I am a mindful consumer of television on my best days. Give me some happy shows, some thoughtful documentaries, some mindfulness podcasts*. I like to see and hear the best of people on the big or little screen, because then I can break from the non-mindfully consuming social media comment sections of my favorite social media creators and others. (Oy. The internet is a brutal place, sometimes.)
Just as all the little things we watch are, the things we use are also the result of so many people’s efforts. When I walk into a store, I am in awe, wonder, and occasional overwhelm when I think of how many living beings have worked to get one item into a store.
Take, for example say, delicious milk-filled cheese, which comes from a living being that is birthed into the world by a sweet, strong farmer. A cow eats grass grown by someone, watered by someone, planted by someone. A cow makes milk, milked by someone, turned into cheese by someone. Maybe you eat vegan cheez, which has a similar amount of people involved in the process, and also factors in the human invention of said cheez creation and others involved in a process that brings vegans and the lactose-intolerant delicious holiday treats.
Then there are all the someone’s in the next stage- the packagers, marketers, salespeople, truck drivers, grocery store workers stocking it, cashiers ringing up purchases at the registers and kindfully dealing with grumpy pandemic-weary customers. And then, your hands choosing it, cutting it, and feeding it to your friends at a gathering.
Wow. What a weighty idea- that what we purchase has a interconnected ripple effect, like a tossed rock sending ripples through a mountain pond. What a beautiful interconnectedness we have in this world, that a thing that is created by so many living beings can be appreciated by so many other beings who may never meet each other.
What we consume, materially, matters - to us, our people, and every living being involved in getting it to our shopping cart. When you show up to a store, a lot of hands and, perhaps, hooves, were involved in getting that food into your shopping cart. Whew. It’s tiring to think about. What if we had to do every step in that process ourselves? Thankfully, we often do not.
Every choice we make, every holiday movie we consume, every holiday hug we give, every purchase we make, makes a difference in someone’s life. It can be a positive or negative impact. I invite you to be choosy and authentic with your time, your movies, your cheese options.
Be choosy and mindful, be cheesy and authentic, and do those things that mean something to you- and others.
We are all interconnected, sending ripples of impact that make a whole world of difference to our circles, and the wider circles that continue to ripple through this planet.
That, to me, rocks (hehe)! That, to me, is the most magnificent part of life- cheesy of a sentiment as it may be!
Mindfully,
Amber Brown
Part II: Prompts to Mindfully Ponder- A Practice
There are a handful of questions here to carry you through the week this week. You could read the reflection, then take on one question per day for the following days. No one will check your efforts, or send you a grade, it’s simply an invitation to carry you throughout your full week.<3
This is your time, your activity, your reflection. Honor whatever it is you need - or just do number 6 every day this week for a moment or two!
So, take some time for being creative in your own way, grab a warm or refreshing beverage, some pens/pencils/markers/paper/drawing tools, or a comfy place to sit and reflect in whatever way you choose.
What is one thing you love to eat or drink? Who is involved in creating it? How does it make you feel after you eat or drink it?
What is one show that you absolutely love? How does it make you feel when you watch it?
What is something you want to consume more mindfully? How can you do that?
What do the things you consume connect you to? How are we interconnected?
What do you want this week? What do you need?
Just be. Take a moment for some kindful inactiveness for yourself.
Take yet another day to do this.
P.S. * Occasionally, I may try to highlight a cool organization that you might enjoy. I get no perks from this, other than the joy of highlighting cool organizations and maybe hearing of new ones. For this week’s reflection, I invite you to check out the mindfulness podcast resource that is Shine! They have some great things for your mindful consumption, some great practices to appreciate for your everyday.