Dream a Little Dream

I watched this video this morning, and I just had to share. I've been feeling really a little down lately because there seems to be a lot of judging and shaming coming from the vegan community, towards other vegans, toward non-vegans, and towards plant-based eaters who maybe aren't "perfectly vegan". It's not so much that I have such a problem with different view points, it's that I get very fearful of the negative cloud it puts over veganism. It wasn't too long ago that vegans, vegan food, and even people who cared about the environment were the butt of every joke, and it was very hard to get anyone to listen or take seriously the plight of animals. Plus, there is strength in numbers, and vegetarians and vegans are in the minority, so we need to work together, not fight amongst ourselves over who is the leanest, the most vegan, and eats the cleanest, most organic, local, blah blah blah diet.
I think it's really important for us to remember that we are all different, and every person out there who chooses not to eat meat has their own story, and reason. People who choose to eat vegan, or plant based, but maybe don't live a full vegan lifestyle are just as important as the most vegan person alive. We are all not eating animals, which obviously saves them, but also as those numbers rise, we are sending a message.
As I'm reading The 22Day Revolution, I'm understanding more and more different ways of getting the same message across. While five years ago I would not have been interested in reading this book since it's focus isn't animals. Now I see the error in that mindset. As I read this book, I see health related logical points that he is making, that would be hard for even the most hard headed meat eater to argue. I think it's good to look at all kinds of perspectives, especially for such a tall order as to get people to give up the meat!
People who choose to not eat animal products are going to all be different, and we all have foods we swear by, and eating/exercising habits that work for us. Some of us may not even care about exercising, or getting in a pound of greens a day. We obviously aren't going to all be alike, or like each other. But things are changing, and people are cutting meat out of their diet for various reasons, and we have to accept it, and embrace it.  I don't think the animals whose lives are saved care if someone didn't eat them because they love animals, or they don't want to die of heart failure, cancer, whatever. It doesn't matter. The outcome is the same.
I hope everyone enjoys the video. They really are rational! As someone who strives to be more Bruce Banner, and less Hulk when it comes to what is important to me, I once again appreciate their cool, calm vibe!
I want to end with a quote that I feel is relevant to this post. "We've got to have a dream if we are going to make a dream come true." - Dennis Waitley