what we have here is a failure to communicate

I have finally (FINALLY!) finished reading Hope’s Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe. I am not accustomed to it taking me close to a month, and two library renewals to get through a book. I couldn’t take my usual giant mouthfuls of this one though. I had to actually chew and swallow.

I’m not going to say that this book has changed my life. I will say, however, that knowledge is a weighty thing, and now that I have so much more of it I will be making different choices about my lifestyle in the future. “And knowledge about the impact of our choices…can change what makes us feel good.”

This may not be the right year, financially speaking, to start buying locally and organic, but it sure makes me feel good to know that when I spend a couple of extra cents, I am helping a hard working farmer who lives right here on MDI to stay in operation. I am proving to myself that I love myself enough to avoid chemicals, and respect myself enough to eat healthfully. It “isn’t a financial decision; it’s an emotional one. It’s about defining who we are.”

This is a good year to start defining myself.

The other day when it was cold and drizzling, I had a small fight with myself. I was sick of the weather and wanted to drive the few blocks to pick up some groceries. I didn’t let myself succumb to that lazy desire though. I reminded myself that the decisions I had made the day before were more than just whims, free to be changed at my convenience. I would be disappointed in myself if I drove, when I could so easily walk. So I walked, and it felt good.

Now, armed with new knowledge and bright and shinny new convictions, I continue to walk, making seemingly small choices everyday that I do believe will help change the world.

Let’s see, what book shall I read next?