“You don’t change the world simply by looking at it. 

You change it through the way you choose to live in it.”

Film; The Aeronauts

Words that catch your attention and find you asking yourself, am I merely looking at the world or am I choosing to live in it. And how am I choosing to live in it?

So many ways to choose how to live in the world. Hurts my brain at times.

This past fall at the annual Zonta Film Festival at the Princess Twin theatre, I viewed films that always make me think. This year  one of them was ‘Toxic Beauty’. How so much of what we put on our bodies for good hygiene and to enhance our appearance is poisoning us. A few days before I viewed one of the National Geographic documentaries at Centre in The Square, ‘The Brave Ones’ about the Akashinga Women Rangers in Zimbabwe who protect the Elephants from poachers. As they protect animals, they have now chosen to live as vegans. Then the young woman Greta Thunberg of Sweden demanding us to wake up to climate change and change!

Every day someone, some where is asking us to be good to one another, good to our planet, good to ourselves.

As the year comes to a close and a new decade is upon us there are so many things to think about, to ask ones self. 

Many of us have had a great ride. So many choices, just buying what catches our eye, tastes good, helps us to look good and smell good. We take for granted that after the rain the sun shines, the seasons follow in sequence, we get to buy pretty much whatever we want and if we can’t buy it in a store, surely it can be bought online. It’s easy and we don’t have to think too much. If we don’t have the funds now to support our choices, we can charge it and figure it out later.

But every day we are more informed and Life is screaming at us to pause and think, pause and rethink, how do I choose to live in the world?

I can carry on the way I have, eat what I want, buy what I want or I can choose with greater care, for myself and for the planet I reside on.

I have to admit that after being informed of the toxic beauty industry, the Akashinga women and young Greta, my brain was overwhelmed and at first all I could hear was “Damn it and Fuck!!” Lead in my lipstick, asbestos in talc – seriously! Killing beasts that have been here long before us to profit from ivory trinkets. Abusing our lands and waters.What is it with us? 

A new decade.

It will take time to learn and find healthy choices and causes I will now support.

Searching out clean makeup suppliers. Can one be half vegan? I’ve already cut way back on single-use plastic. 

I’ve started with my deodorant and yes the toxic one does keep you smelling fresher longer, but the cleaner deodorant will contribute to me living longer.

Living longer, healthier and being around to contribute to our planet living longer.

I love looking at my world, but I want to live in it well. 

Can you be vegan and still drink wine? So much to learn.

 

Film; The Aeronauts; 1862 story of the meteorologist James Glaisher and Amelia Wren, a daredevil balloon pilot. Available on Prime Video

Toxic Beauty; directed by Phyllis Ellis

The Brave Ones; National Geographic with  Damien Mander, founder of  the International Anti-Poaching Foundation

Photos: Sharon Cooke and Drew Graham Unsplash.com