“Maggie”. Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur for The Ghosts In Our Machine. 2011.
Good Morning, Simonee!!
This past week has really flown by – we have covered so many topics ranging from dairy/egg alternatives, cruelty-free personal care products, attitudes of awareness and mindfulness to the social implications of living a Ghost-Free life.
It might be helpful to have a discussion about our connections with other species – something that we have not really explored during the past 4 days. We know that you share your life with several beautiful 4 legged friends. Many of us started on our own journeys because of an intimate connection with a dog or a cat – this relationship opened our eyes to seeing how all species are part of the same web of life. We live in a society that not only perpetuates but encourages the disconnect that allows us to love one animal but eat/wear/test on others – those others are the Ghosts.
Please feel free to discuss anything that you like – the above is just a suggestion. It has been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of your journey.
P.S. – We are anxious to hear about how your dinner went last night!!
Coaches Donna and Rosemary
The opinions we express as GFJ Coaches are ours personally. We are not professional health practitioners. Neither are we treating a specific health care issue. That means we are not offering advice on health-care problems. If you are experiencing a health-care problem, it is important to seek the advice of a health professional. However we are experienced, practicing vegans and we look forward to coaching you on your journey.
Hey all,
Can’t believe I’m on day 5. I had a great day yesterday, reading through the thoughts, ideas and supportive words. Thanks again!
The dinner last night was lovely – as far as I know. I had their aioli pasta and ordered a lot of rapini on the side to accompany my meal. Husband Paul had our favourite polenta, which has cream in it so I avoided it but did steal a mushroom or two off the side of his plate. We had a great full Portuguese wine and I finished with a date dessert and green tea. Our friends were lovely. Great conversation and then home in bed! Too much wine though…
I think your suggestion of speaking about the loves in my life and how they’ve influenced me is an excellent one! And as the day goes by – I’d love to share a few stories along the way about a few different friends…
I’ll start with Chiquita. Chiquita was my first friend, first pet and first love. I got her from my parents when she was a kitten and I was 3. She lived for almost 19 years and as an only child kept me company. I learned about companionship from Chiquita. I was never really alone when she was around and because I spent a lot of time alone – especially when my dad left – she was an invaluable friend.
One of my favourite memories was situating her across from me as I attempted to play board games with her. With no siblings around to play with, you pretend others are around all the time. I’d role the dice and move the mans on the board for us and she’d usually sit happily across (sometimes asleep) keeping me company for the entire game! Sometimes she’d win☺
Chiquita (little girl in Portuguese) was my first friend and I feel lucky knowing that to be the case. I was always sensitive and never one of those kids that pulled at a tail or even thought things like that were entertaining. We slept together, watched TV together and hung out on the balcony in the sun together. When I moved out at 17 she came with… Not the easiest because I did jump around from apartment to apartment before getting my home right but I refused to dump her EVER because she was my family.
She remained my dependable companion all the way till the end.
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/chiquita105.jpg[/img]
Hi Simonee – this is such a beautiful reflection/tribute to your sweet friend Chiquita. Reading through this, I can picture you as a young girl playing board games together – I love it that she won sometimes!
Your relationship with her was one of pure love – our wonderful animal friends are so loving, accepting and forgiving. This is such a great picture of the 2 of you – my eyes are filled with tears, looking at this and reading about your devotion to her. I do believe that it is these relationships that plant the seeds of awareness and empathy. I am really looking forward to hearing about your other beautiful friends that have shared your life.
Also, how wonderful that your dinner last night was such a success. No deprivation there, that’s for sure xo
Dinner sounds like it went so smoothly, and the choices were available for you to boot! Glad that was a good experience for you, Simonee.
Your connection to Chiquita is so sweet, and to have that is such a special experience. She was there for you in so many ways, and her love, everlasting <3
Do you ever think about her or your other companion animals and your GFJ? If so, how do they relate and influence your choices?
Hi Rosemary,
Yes! I always think of my companions on my GFJ and in relation into this whole vegan inquiry. They and the way I feel about them are very tied into my reasons for taking this journey.
Simonee, your empathy, compassion and sense of justice for Beauty is so profound….I see how your feelings about them are so tied to your reason for taking the GFJ. Thank you so much for sharing your story~
This is a short, 30min video from The Vegan Society, that explores the many aspects of “making the connection” for health, environment, spirit, and animals. Hope you like it!
https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/making-the-connection.aspx
Also, below is Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s blog called “The Joyful Vegan: Stories of Transformation that can help you to sustain and support your GFJ.
https://joyfulvegan.wordpress.com
Hi Simonee,
I thought that I would share some of my relationships with animals. I have always learned something from the wonderful animals who have shared their lives with me. In the last few years, we adopted 3 Great Pyrenees dogs from a resue group. They are difficult to place due to their size, nocturnal habits, need for a fenced in area – and their very independent personalities (something that we loved very much about them). Sadly, they all died at a very young age – their breed is very prone to osteosarcoma and other health problems.
Through these dogs – and most especially Gus (who is the larger dog in the picture), I felt a real kinship with the animal world in general. Maybe it was because of his size – when I would look at Gus I would see a bear’s face and a wolf’s eyes. Sometimes he would seem almost feral – preferring to drink out of the puddle at the base of a tree and barking all night at the coyotes. Other times, he was all too human with his piercing look – as he gazed right into my eyes, reflecting everything that I was feeling. I won’t go on about him – in truth, it is still too painful for me to think about this – we just lost him last April. But I wanted to end with a sentiment that many people have shared – we do not rescue these animals – they rescue us.
For the Ghosts. .
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/GusMarry.JPG[/img]
I grew up on a farm, some animals were friends, the others were food. Oddly enough our sheep were, in my head, friends. Our pigs and cows were not, nor were the chickens, turkeys and ducks. We always had a dog, our first was a little black dog, Matsu. For years my mindset remained that of my childhood. Some animals are friends, some are not. They’re meant to be food. It wasn’t until reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Eating Animals” that I really started realizing the line I’d made, that separated some from the others. In my advocacy I use Arcot EVERY time. I ask someone “would you do this to him, if only because it’d taste good” and never once has someone said “yes,” I do here “well, it’s different” And I ask why, and we discuss. It is no different, an animal is an animal, dog, cat, chicken or cow. I feel very lucky to have the bond I do with Arcot because it’s one most people have also shared. It leads to discussions about my other animal friends, those most people haven’t met, like Gloria Goat, or Fanny and Sonny.
This is a picture of Arcot and I at the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival. He loved it, and so did I! (I had no idea he’d licked my teeth until I saw the pic, I couldn’t help but laugh.)
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CotKiss.jpg[/img]
OMG! I see I have some stories to read – I’ll get on that:) In the meantime here’s something on my second love – Beauty. He was a rescue and when he died I sent a memorial out to family and friends who loved and knew him well. Here’s that memorial:
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday at 8:45pm, Beauty died. He was 13 years old and had lived with me for over 10 years. Beauty truly was a majestic dude.
If you’re getting this e-mail, you care for me, you care for Beauty very much or you’ve had a moment of your own with him that I noticed as special. Over the years people joked about Beauty’s name – but there’s a good reason for it…
I met Beauty almost 11 years ago during a brief sublet at a house – I was in between places with my then boyfriend, Roland. Next door to our temporary home, was a run down house with a couple, their two kids, many cats and a dog. The dog, a stunning husky, existed on the back deck.
He was depressed, tied to a short cable, often without food or water, left alone in rain or shine, surrounded by his own feces. For hours each day he howled and cried for attention, necessities and love. In response, he was yelled at or hit. I called the humane society daily to see if he could be taken from this trashy family but apparently there wasn’t enough proof he was being abused? Some days I’d sneak over to give him food and fill his empty water bowl. He kept his distance and met me with a growl and no eye contact – I knew he was just scared. He was dirty, alone but beautiful! I told him daily that he was a beauty. The straw that broke the camel’s back was the day I saw him playing ball by himself. He’d have fun dropping the ball from his mouth to the floor, waiting for it to bounce back up – sometimes catching it, in his ungraceful way. On one bounce it fell in his poo and he stared at it longingly but obviously contemplating whether he wanted to pick it up from his own feces. I called him a beauty at that moment because I could see the shame he felt. His desperation led him retrieve his ball and that moment broke my heart. Weeks later we finally moved into our new place and without hesitation I decided to rescue Beauty. We did a midnight heist – A getaway car around the corner, me casing the front of the house and Roland untying Beauty in the back. It was the best law I ever broke!
A few things you might want to know… Beauty was selective, one of the many qualities I loved about him. He took his time getting to know people because he needed to suss you out first, for himself. His instincts were amazing and I used his judgement to help inform me of the good and the bad – He was usually right! Beauty was peaceful, he liked to lay on his bed by my side and was cool to sleep just about anywhere as long as there were people he loved nearby. Beauty was a good traveler, he loved the car and could sit for hours, happily, looking out the window just so he could come along for the ride. Beauty stopped traffic – I was chop liver beside him. We rarely made it more than 5 minutes away from our home, without someone stopping us to comment on his beauty. Beauty was great with older people and children. He recognized their physical limitations and kids could pull and pet in their not so gentle way and he would comply.
My favourite thing about Beauty was his talking – wow, wow, wow – When he was happy, he talked a lot! But over the last few months, deafness, kidney failure, arthritis and unrelenting pain replaced his chatter, and it was clear to all who loved him that it was time to say goodbye. Beauty, you majestic dude, we’ll miss you.
Thanks all, enjoy the pics.
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/MG_9973.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/MG_9971.jpg[/img]
You all have such beautiful stories of connection and bond with your companions. Thank you so much for sharing about your connection and expressing such lovely and sensitive reflections.
Simonee, your bond with Chiquita and Beauty goes so deep, and it’s so evident that you have this awareness when you’re with non-human animals. That type of empathy and sensitivity makes this GFJ consistent with that spiritual awareness. We’re so glad you were brave enough to try this vegan challenge again in your life, and gave it your “all” this week.
We hope this has been a good experience and that you will try, step by step, with the awareness and mindfulness to continue your Ghost -Free Journey. Please remember we are here should you need more support, or would like to share further insights you have along your way.
For the Ghosts, Rosemary
Simonee, this is such an amazing story. I am so glad that you took the law into you own hands. I wish that more people were like you. You truly have a natural affinity with animals – it is so easy to tell from the pictures and the beautiful tributes that you have written about them.
Your relationships with animals and memories of them are what will keep you going on your journey – much more so than any kind of vegan cheese or finding the right kind of make-up. Beauty and Chiquita started you on this journey – they would be so proud of you and so happy to see their stories being shared. Because of you, Beauty did not remain a Ghost..
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2011-11-12_16-49-27_712.jpg[/img]
My comment for this photo didn’t show up….maybe it means the photo speaks for itself.!
I love my three Italian Greyhound companions, I love to be in nature as much as possible, and when I am, I feel most connected to the earth, all animals (including humans!), and spirit <3
When these are aligned, all is well~and it just happens.
Wow! Truly amazing story — and you are such a good soul. Beauty is beautiful. I have been following your GFJ periodically from the edit suite as we are working hard towards the fine cut of the documentary, and it has been a pleasure to follow your journey. For us the “journey’ literally means that we are interested and engaged in the process of this issue. Please stay in touch. xoxox
– Liz
My husband and I have 2 rescued greyhounds who are lovely, gentle beings but we have just embarked on a new journey with 4 rescue chickens–Betty, Veronica, Thelma, and Louise. They came from a battery barn that housed 30,000 hens jammed into cages. Their job was to lay cheap eggs for us humans. After seeing how pathetic, weak, and defeated they were when we adopted them I know I will never knowingly eat eggs again! Now they are gaining weight, scratching, stretching their wings and running around like hens are meant to. I’m just about to take them out some treats and I know they will come running over as soon as I walk out the door.
They’re adorable in their own eccentric ways–and we are telling everyone we know how sweet they are. They make lots of soft noises and I am starting to tell what their different noises mean. I could go on and on. That’s enough except that I saw the DVD “Peaceable Kingdom, The Journey Home” last night. I think it was so touching. I’m hoping to show it in our community…a film to watch if you’re ever tempted to eat animals again.
Take care.
I love the names of your hens – I wonder how many of us get the Betty/Veronica combo?
30,000 hens jammed into cages – that is such a staggering amount – any number would actually be horrible – but this conjures up images that are unbearably nightmarish.
You and your husband are as lovely and gentle as your resuced greyhounds. It is inspirational to read your story. I have not yet seen “Peaceable Kingdom” – I have heard that it is a must-see.
As Rosemary has stated, thank you Sigrid for sharing your thoughts during this journey. Every voice is so important, especially when there is so much love and support in it.
As the other “older hen”in this group, yes, I get the significance of Betty and Veronica name combo!
“Peaceable Kingdom” is a very good film that follows three or four former farmers and their transformations. It’s a powerful film, and a must-see!
Sigrid, it’s so wonderful that you rescued these hens and your greyhounds! I love how you describe Betty, Veronica, Thelma and Louise’s sounds and unique quirks and traits. How many people really know and have a relationship with chickens?
I’m so glad you shared this story, and appreciate the time you took to come to this blog.
This is my old friend Nomad- now gone to chase squirrels in the sky. He was a pedigreed saluki who was ‘rescued’ from his owners by their vet, after she learned they kept him locked in a bathroom all day.
When I got him (at aged 2) it took him about a year to calm down but then he became a true soulmate and was a well loved dog by many. He had a unique singing ability – he LOVED to sing – most of all to jazz, but also to live vocals of any kind, and to fire engines. He was gentle and could curl up in your lap even though when he stood on his hind legs he stood eye to eye with me. And he could run like the wind.
I miss my friend Nomad. This picture was taken just a couple of days before he died.
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/NinaNomad.jpg[/img]
NOMAD
Nina,
Nomad is so beautiful and elegant; and this photo is gorgeous. It breaks my heart that people can be so indifferent to these beautiful beings. You were fortunate to have each other, and unbreakable bond <3
Yes, I was fortunate to be his ward. Interesting how so many of us involved with the GFJ have been profoundly affected by canine relationships. They are excellent ambassadors of peace!
Oh, Nina – how beautiful! Such a wonderful friend you had in Nomad. I could picture him running in the wind – so happy to be free and loved for the beautiful soul that he was. These wonderful animals are indeed excellent ambassadors of peace.
Love it! What a handsome fellow!
Hi Everyone,
Just hitting the hay now… Supper tired but I wanted to say a big thanks to the entire Ghosts team for leading and supporting me in my journey. I also wanted to thank the bloggers and audience of this platform – even if you didn’t chime in. It’s been great being connected to all of you and knowing that we don’t stand alone in our efforts to represent our dear friends.
I also wanted to share with you my furry companions as of late… Bean (dog), Camie (grey & white cat) and a temporary Blu (grey cat). Bean and Camie are what I’d term hand me downs… People felt they couldn’t take care of them any longer so we stepped up!
Blu was found by us while walking Bean one day, abandoned on the street – really sick and almost on his way out. We took him, nursed him back to health and have been fostering him for nearly 5 months.He’ll be moving into his new home in January! Although I’ll miss him like CRAZY 3 are just too much right now:) and we’re reserving the right to visit.
The 3 of them usually crack us up every day and are always ready to love. I’m sending pics through tomorrow because the system won’t let me right now:(
As I sign of my GFJ I can truly say things are different and I feel changed. I’m not sure how this will look tomorrow or in the next year but I do know that I am not going back either. Hope that makes sense.
Until soon,
Simonee, I just love your stories of rescuing animals, and nursing them back to health. You are an inspiration to me and I’m sure everyone who is reading…that you can not ignore an animal in need. I have great admiration for you and people who do this for others…whether human or non-human. Thank you so much for sharing about all of your companions; it’s a lovely way to round out your 5 day journey.
We’re so glad that you have learned some things about yourself and about ways to sustain being vegan in a non-vegan world! We look forward to hearing from you in the future, and would love to have you join us for future GFJ’s, sharing your wisdom….we’re all in this together <3 Love and Peace, For the Ghosts,
Coaches Rosemary and Donna
Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I know my pup Doc changed the way I care about animals. He is my baby, my companion and my best friend. Doc is what made me start to really take a stand for the animals. Your story about Beauty is gorgeous, I admire you for standing up and rescuing him. Although my eyes are filled with tears, people like you inspire me so much. I have found your journey incredibly insightful and inspiring. Good luck in your future endevours. Kelly and Doc
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/6296_253034295159_418776_n.jpg[/img]
Thanks Kelly for the kind words. I love this dude Doc. He looks pretty fun:) Give him a hug for me although I’m sure he’ll steal a kiss while you’re at it.
Kelly,
Doc is adorable with that big smile! Thanks so much for joining us on Simonee’s GFJ, and sharing with us. Come back and visit again for the next GFJ in January! xox Rosemary
Kelly – what an absolute sweetie pie!!! It really is amazing that we are able to form such bonds – we are indeed lucky. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement during Simonee’s journey. xo
As promised – here are those pics! I’ll be in touch in the future to look in on other journeys and hopefully way in with support.
oxS
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Blu-3.jpg[/img]
Blu found on the street almost on his way out. At nearly 13 years old he’s getting a second wind – Now back in shape!
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Camie-1.jpg[/img]
Camie
Through 3 house -pet sitting gigs with her where her previous owner took WAY long to pick her up… It was obvious that he just couldn’t or wouldn’t so we did.
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/BeanSmall-1.jpg[/img]
Advertised as “free to a good home” on Kijiji. He’s been with us for a year. Loves dogs and cats, snorts like a pig and likes to spoon.
xoxo They are all beautiful <3
You really are an amazing activist, Simonee. You have a heart of gold. I love all of your sweet animal companions. Looking forward to hearing about how your journey continues. xoxo
All your companions are beautiful.
Just thought I’d add a rescued farm animal for fun…this is Betty enjoying her thanksgiving pumpkin pie. (If my “upload” works). Our veg group had a “celebration for the chickens” for thanksgiving, then a vegan potluck to celebrate these hens new lives.
All the best to a caring group of people,
Sigrid
[img]https://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_2891-1.JPG[/img]
If I could have ‘liked’ this I would have….Betty looks like one happy chicken!
I so agree with Nina!! I love this picture – and Betty looks like she knows how well loved she is. xo