Pages

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Know any cows?

Most of us lead lives that do not include hanging out with large animals. Cows are very interesting and excellent beings and I recently ran across a video that does a pretty good job of showing some of the playfulness and friendliness that many cows possess. It is true that some cows are grumps just as some humans are grumps but Snow Flower (the star of the video) isn't.


Stay with the video, at about 3:30 in you will get to see some playing and frolicking and that goes on for some time, at around 4:40 she is having a great time. The video is a chance to get to see a bit of one cow enjoying her life. It is easy to see that she is an individual and that she has her own view of the world, her own preferences, her own likes and dislikes. When we lump living beings into categories we then tend to lose sight of the fact that each are individuals.

A facebook 'friend' (Wong Oi Lee) posted this video and at first I passed over it but went back and was captivated. I think it is a good chance to get to know a little about a cow for those that haven't had the opportunity to do so in the flesh. My thanks to her for putting it out there for the rest of us to see and experience.

From what I could find out on the internet, Snow Flower was eventually moved to a herd of 'pet' cows and maybe there she will get to live out her life in comfort and safety.

That isn't what happens to most cow beings. It is hard to reconcile the joy and happiness that Snow Flower obviously experiences with the casualness and ease that most humans are willing to kill such beings...or to pay someone else to kill cows like Snow Flower for them.

I was watching a documentary about the killing of the millions of humans during WWII and one of the narrators said what was so hard to comprehend was that the killing often wasn't done by sadists or madmen...rather it was done by ordinary human beings. Somehow, not participating in the horror was unusual or extraordinary rather than participating.

That's terribly frightening...just as is the casual way in which we kill billions of living beings every year...we kill them just because we want to. And very few of us ever give it a thought...so many lives extinguished, so many joys unfelt....and almost none of us seem to care.

It is hard to find hope but there are humans that care, that object, that protest....and that's important.

If you are one that cares, that objects, that protests, that doesn't participate in the ongoing slow-motion murderous rampage most humans are engaged in....then...thank you, thank you very much....you are valued and appreciated and very much needed by all (especially me).

4 comments:

Molly said...

Aw, I love this! Snow Flower is gorgeous- so cute how she gets all bucky & playful, and she's so fluffy! That's great that she will get to live her life out, and what a great name for her. :)

veganelder said...

Thank you for commenting Molly. It isn't difficult to see the mischievousness in her eyes is it? You're not the only person from whom I've heard comments about how much they liked her name...it is unique.

Bea Elliott said...

Wow that was cool! Loved watching Snow Flower frolic around like a happy cow should! There isn't a doubt she loves her life!

I know putting this joyful video next to the other realities is impossible to understand. It's too sinister to even try. :/

I too recently watched a WWII video. With all the atrocities and brutalities- At the end each participant said they were "not responsible". I suppose that's what most humans do in the war against other species. No one wants to own direct claim to the wrongs done. And for them denial and evasion works wonders. Anything rather than change.

So I too am grateful for the ones that do care! And who nurture and respect the Snow Flower in us all. VE - Thank YOU!

veganelder said...

Thank you for commenting Bea. Snow Flower was a treat to watch wasn't she?

"Anything rather than change"...so true isn't it. Sort of like working harder to get out of work than doing the work itself would be. We're a peculiar species.

I'm firmly convinced there is a major Snow Flower in Bea Elliott. :-)