My-Cherie
Seasons Greetings! The holidays are here and the new year is quickly approaching. I’ve been thinking about my New Year’s resolutions. I am trying to figure out how I want to celebrate the holidays while contributing on a grand scale. I have a lot to be grateful for this present year. I just got married to a wonderful man. I moved to a great city in a cool neighborhood. I started a new business in women’s accessories. I’ve collected more amazing friends. Things are really looking up for me, but how am I impacting the world?
A couple of days ago, I watched the HBO documentary, “I am an animal: The story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA”. If you don’t know, PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. I was amazed to see this organization’s devotion to animals. There is an animal rights movement happening right now and PETA started it all. These people do not play. No Butterball Thanksgiving turkey dinners allowed. No fur coats. No leather purses. No honey, baby. No horse tail hair weave? Hmm. I don’t know.
Anyway, PETA has inspired me to view life quite differently. Being that I am pesco-vegan (fish and veggies”> I totally understand where Peta is coming from. I stopped eating meat (poultry”> after reading “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins. This book points out the evils behind many commonly eaten foods and demonstrates the benefits of eating healthy as a vegetarian. Anybody who reads this book will surely stop eating meat, even if it’s just for a week. After seeing this disturbing, yet enlightening, HBO documentary I decided to make an early New Year’s resolution for 2008. I will strive to live a cruelty-free life. This includes but is not limited to animals, humans, the evironment and ME.
I decided to check out some of the products that I use on a daily basis for my body and hair. I was fortunate to see that most of my products I use say “No animal testing.” My rose water, my Jason’s toothpaste, my Lush grapefruit toner, my Thai Crystal deodorant and of course all my Paul Mitchell products. Yeah! I am making a small impact on the world. My motto for the new year is: “Cruelty free, the world needs me”. Ok, maybe it’s a little corny, but I like it. The affirmation is in my heart and mind. I’m really going to start paying attention to product labels and do whatever I can to live cruelty free.
The weirdest thing about this HBO documentary for me was when Ingrid Newkirk, the co-founder of PETA, stated that when she died she wanted her flesh used as barbecue. She said that when people smell her flesh burning they will know that skin is skin whether it comes from a human or an animal. WOW! Pretty drastic. Whatever floats your boat, Ingrid. When I die, I want my AFRO donated to one of the mannequins at the Mon Cherie Boutique in Milan, Italy. I think it shall make a lovely display.
