Do you know one of the greatest gifts that we have as humans?
Free Will
A lot of people don't even think of it. A lot of people don't even realize that they have as many options as they do. People feel trapped by society, trapped by expectations, trapped by vows, promises, finances, laws and so many other things.
However, one thing that I've learned as I've gotten older is that there is always a choice. Indeed, I can choose to break any law I wish...provided I'm willing to pay the consequences. I can do anything I wish to do...provided I'm willing to pay the consequences. Leave my wife? Quit my job? Abandon my kids? Speed on the road? Sure they are all bad ideas but that's the whole point of free will...I get to make whatever choices I wish as long as I accept the consequences. Ideally I follow choices that get me to the ending I want: A permaculture plot, a healthy body and lifestyle with a wife I want to spend my final years with...and children who visit every now and then.
Source: Dall-E
Responsibility / Duty
Just because I can make any choice I want doesn't mean that every choice leads to a beneficial outcome! I suppose that's where responsibility comes in. I have a responsibility to look after my wife. I have a responsibility to look after my children. As a Christian I also have additional responsibilities. I am to follow the rules of the country in which I live, Love God, and care for others.
It is responsibility that forms the basis of my decision making. When I make choices I ask myself "Is it good for my family?", "Would it be pleasing to God", "Is it beneficial to myself?", "Is it beneficial to the community at large" and many other things. Often it is a balancing act. Right now I'm with my wife and children at a Ski Village (Sun Peaks). Being sick with the flu I Really didn't want to come. Leaving my bed was not a good thing for me. However, if I didn't come my wife didn't have the confidence to get here. My sons wouldn't have had the means to get here. They would have suffered.
In the end I made the decision to make sure that 3 out of the four members in the family were happy. My wife and sons are enjoying time in the snow, skiing, and cool atmosphere of the area. I'm sitting in the room writing at Hive, watching anime, and sipping lemon tea while I try to recover.
Many people have forgotten the link between Responsibility, Choices, and Consequences
In life one of the things that irritates more than anything is people who do not accept the link between Choices and Consequences. I hear so many people who lean on excuses. Example? I need alcohol because my life is so hard and then I did stupid things while drunk. I shouldn't be held accountable for what I did while drunk. I really wanted to have sex but didn't have a condom and now there is a baby I'm not ready for--I don't want the consequences. I tried drugs once because my friends said it was cool and now I'm addicted...life is unfair. I disagree--just not prepared for the consequences.
Of course I'm not immune to the desire to avoid the consequences. I love cheese, I love cola, and I love chocolate but I don't like getting fat! Guess what...my eating habits (and exercise ones) have consequences too!
Set the Example
A new year has come. It is time to think of things in my life where I'm making choices that are less than ideal. Personally I'm going to say my worst choices are about diet. Sure my kids and wife may have other ideas but I'm going to say that I should probably make better choices with my eating. After all I'm getting older and if I don't watch diet and exercise I'm going to lead a shorter and less healthy life than I could otherwise have.
As a result its time to go to a "Flexitarian" diet.
Now you have probably heard about a Vegan diet (no meat products). Vegetarian diet (no meat but allowing eggs and dairy). However, I didn't even know about a "Flexitarian" diet until recently. Basically it is a "I'll eat anything nutritious but try to limit eggs, meat, cheese and dairy". I think this is important. There are too many animals raised in too poor conditions around the world. Too many forests are being cut down to raise livestock because people are wanting to eat more and more meat!
However, meat for every meal on a global scale just isn't sustainable! It is terrible for the environment, not good for the farmed animals, and in the end not good for humans either. However, I'm not going too deeply into that.
Now I'm sure the Vegans out there would argue that I shouldn't eat meat at all! However, I'm all about Permaculture. To be stewards of the environment and make it better for the future. Here is a hint about looking after any piece of land to make it better--it requires animals in the mix. If animals are in the mix for a healthy piece of land then I want to make sure those animals are in the mix and properly harvested in an ethical way at the right time.
However, permaculture doesn't mean that you have a lot of animals. Enough chickens to eat the bugs. Enough goats to trim the weeds. Enough rabbits to spread their fertilizer around. Enough to keep things in balance.
What will I give up for my "Flexitarian" food choice? Hard to say exactly because flexitarian really means flexible! But again it all comes down to choices and consequences.
I'm going to try and choose NOT to eat at fast food restaurants when there is any other possibility. No more Big Macs or Whoppers. Mostly
How am I going to make sure I eat more Flexitarian approved meals? Find tasty meals that either don't use meat or use meat very sparingly. Example: Vegetarian Chilli instead of regular lots of beef Chilli. More beans, more vegetables, more fruits etc. Less milk and more soy milk. Less eggs by baking with egg substitutes (Aquafaba or Chia...I'm looking at you).
Will I succeed?
I wish I knew how successful I'll be in keeping this goal. I think it is worthwhile and aligns well with my desire to live off-grid in Northwestern BC (and in Northern Philippines). It aligns well with my goal to live a sustainable frugal lifestyle (meat is expensive). However, I have a wife, two children and in-laws who believe that meat has to be on every dish that gets eaten at home.
As a result I just keep telling myself I always have a choice to make with every meal. There are consequences to what I put in my mouth. I hope I can be responsible to make the best choices I can both for my physical health and as an example to my children.
Let's see how it goes
Thanks for reading
and as always....love getting comments.