There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian tree-hugger. Nothing at all. You do know that many of the world’s largest animals aren’t carnivores, right? Being concerned with the welfare of our earth and its inhabitants isn’t just a type of fashion fad we follow. It’s definitely not a selling technique used by companies by labeling their products “green”. Keeping our globe clean and thriving, as well as keeping our fellow critters safe, is our responsibility as the dominant species. So, why not take some time out of your day to do something to help Mother Nature out a bit!
A while ago, I decided to become a Wildlife Warrior (through the Australia Zoo). Ever since I was little, I have been obsessed with tigers, though I am not quite sure why. Most young children have kittens on their school folders or little bunnies sewn onto their socks. I had tiger print lunch boxes and wore those creepy shirts with tiger faces on them. But that’s a story for another day… Anyway, as a Wildlife Warrior, I got the opportunity to “adopt” a tiger from the Australia Zoo. It was so neat! I got a picture of my lovely little (gigantic)
My point is that, when you help out, you always get something in return. Let’s say you find that a cashier gave you too much change for the donut you bought. If you return the money, you will most likely get a “thank you” from the cashier and the sunny feeling of a good deed. But, come on, it’s the twenty first century. We should get a little more credit for helping someone out! And so we will. When I gave to the Wildlife Warriors fund, I got the opportunity to take care of my very own tiger (technically speaking). Every time I look up from my computer, I see Khan’s picture, and it makes me so happy to know that I’m doing something good!
So, what happens after you return that extra change to the cashier? Who knows? You may find a ten dollar bill in your back pocket that you lost six months ago! You could have earned good luck for a whole day! There are just two little tricks to this “reward” thing.
First of all, you can’t look for your reward. Second, you can’t do good deeds just to get a reward. It doesn’t work that way. You can never know where your reward will come from or what form it will take. For example, there were four abandoned kittens in my neighborhood. Because, as I mentioned, I am a tree-hugging vegetarian animal-lover, I gave them food and shelter in my garage, and my family gave them plenty of attention to tame them, in order to find them loving homes. I know that I did a good deed, and was filled with that mushy, gooey feeling when each little fur ball found a good owner. I didn’t look for any reward because I felt that the kittens’ safety and happiness were enough for me.
There was one kitten left: the feisty little runt. No one wanted her! She was like the little cat in the movie Oliver and Company, only without the Billy Joel-obsessed doggie friends. So, in the end we had to keep her. I named her Sombrita, which means little shadow in Spanish (don’t ask), because she loved to pretend that she was still a wild cat, playing under blankets and behind curtains. I didn’t look for my reward, but now, every time she pops out from underneath a pillow or a tablecloth, I can see that this little kitty was precisely the thing I received for doing something good.
You don’t have to save kittens to be a good person. You don’t even have to donate to a big charity, even though that would be nice. Try picking up a candy wrapper that businessman just threw on the ground. Be nice to the planet and bring your own cloth grocery bags the next time you go shopping. Just doing the tiniest little things can have the biggest rewards. So don’t mock us tree-hugging vegetarians. We know that the best way to live a good life is to try and make the world a better place every day.
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