How an oven led me to greater awareness.

[RawHeaven]

Yesterday I came out to a friend of mine. And truly this is what it felt like. :p She was explaining to me how to use her oven because the dials are screwed up etc. After explaining at least 5 times while she was going through this drill to me that I will not be needing it or using it and getting completely frustrated because she wasn't listening to me. I'm thinking did she hear me? Finally 15 minutes into this while I was ironically washing my produce whilst she was in the middle of her mission for me to understand the innerworkings of her oven, with a very firm and loud voice I told her " I really am not going to be using the oven. I'm a raw foodist and I don't cook!!!" I think I may have yelled, lol. You could hear a pin drop and the expression on her face was classic. Well...she was shocked. It had more to do with her not listening to me and her having what seemed like an out of body experience with the whole oven thing, perhaps my strong use of my vocal chords brought her back down to earth. My friends are also not used to me raising my voice. But I also don't think she fully understands there are people in this world who don't use fire to prepare their food - I think this is what the greatest shock was about. It was a weird and enlightening moment. I apologized for my outburst to her and we were fine, but it shook something within me. I realized I'm more passionate than I thought regarding raw foods and I'm somewhat biased with regard to cooking. There I said it and I've got to find a neutral place of existence I suppose since the majority of folks do cook their food and they're still loving & wonderful people regardless.

Why I'm putting this in the personal growth section is that I'm learning to just be who I am around people. I don't broadcast that I'm raw, but I'm also more empowered not to sit around and keep quiet when I feel like I'm being subjected to something that doesn't have anything to do with my life anymore. Like ovens for example. hahaa. Sometimes it's difficult to find your patience. I think my reaction had a lot to do with I don't look at ovens positively anymore. At least I'm aware of it now - I had no idea of the level of my passion and perhaps even anger maybe? The whole experience certainly triggered something within me and thankfully brought it to the surface. The more you learn the more you know you don't know - especially about yourself!

Thanks for listening.

[Veganforlife]

Very cool! You have found your passion. Awesome!

[Eva]

Crystal, I've had a similar issue recently where I realized just how negatively I feel about something. Not the oven, though. A doctor in my Hungarian class. He sort of epitomizes everything I dislike about the world of medicine. He is a doctor yet doesn't look healthy. He is getting a Ph.D. researching nano technology to make more ADHD drugs.

In class the other day, we were using the past tense, and I unconsciously told the class that he had seen some patients. And instead of saying he prescribed them medicine, I said, "He handed them a paper for drugs so they could feel good for just today."

LOL, THAT is what came out!!! I didn't even mean to say that. I just accidentally said what I was thinking. I have not been to a doctor since I went raw (except my well woman visits where they told me that the problems I had been having had gone from worse to worse to "gee you might need surgery" to... normal on raw!!). I guess I need to still have compassion for doctors. They are (probably) not purposefully harming people's chances for health, right?

[RawHeaven]

Lucy, I have found one of my raw passions, I'm sure there will be more.


Eva, hahaaa, that is too funny what unconsciously came out with regard to the drug prescription. It was said eloquently though with no expletives. I'm not sure I could say the same. hahaaa. But hmmm, maybe it wasn't unconscious at all and merely the truth. It's almost as if we can no longer lie to ourselves you know and the truth just seeps out whether we want it to our not. lol. Being Raw is deep. Very, very deep.

[Eva]

But hmmm, maybe it wasn't unconscious at all and merely the truth. It's almost as if we can no longer lie to ourselves you know and the truth just seeps out whether we want it to our not. lol. Being Raw is deep. Very, very deep.

That is SO true!!! I don't really have anger and frustration so much these days (at least not in the blood boiling sort of way, ever), but I am just sometimes more brash because I have been telling it like it is! And I am not so good about just keeping quiet!

Not at all, apparently. Especially when it comes to an attack against a person's health or against truth. That doesn't work too well with me!

[Cheetah]

As a very opinionated, black and white, type A personality, I struggle with how to stand up for the truth without offending people... I am willing to stand up for what I believe in but I feel so passionately about certain things like raw and living foods and I really want to express my views in a way that makes them intriguing and attractive and not send people running in the other direction...KWIM?

How do you guys handle that?

Eva - how the doc respond to your comment? :eek:

Chee

[oai]

I just absolutely adore the title. :p

People who cook foods are still loving & caring regardless. You are absolutely right. Sometimes there are things we grow up with... that we never question unless something drastic happens to make us question them. And until then, we may notice other people doing other things & just pass by OR think they're absolutely bonkers. :)

Same goes for doctors. I really do think most want to heal and are healing the way they were taught how.

[rawstrength]

Haha Rawheaven, sometimes we all just live in different worlds, with different ways of thinking. It's a gift to get so many perspectives on life. The trouble comes when we can only see through the window of our own perspective.
I had a similar experience yesterday. I was in my college shuttle, talking to the driver.
Rawstrength: It looks like those people caught a bunch of bluefish.
Driver: Yes they did. I'm impressed. Most ladies wouldn't even know what a bluefish is.
Rawstrength: My grandfather likes to fish and he catches a lot of bluefish.
Driver: Do you like to eat bluefish?
Rawstrength: I'm a vegan.
Driver: A what?!
Rawstrength: A vegan - someone who avoids eating and using animal products. Including fish.
Driver: Oh.
There was silence for a while.
Driver: So, you're going to the supermarket. Are you going to get some food to cook?
Rawstrength: I don't cook. I eat raw foods.
The driver pulled over and let me out at the supermarket before any more conversation could ensue.

[Eva]

As a very opinionated, black and white, type A personality, I struggle with how to stand up for the truth without offending people... I am willing to stand up for what I believe in but I feel so passionately about certain things like raw and living foods and I really want to express my views in a way that makes them intriguing and attractive and not send people running in the other direction...KWIM?

How do you guys handle that?

Eva - how the doc respond to your comment? :eek:

Chee

As for the first part -- there won't always be opportunity for sending people running in the other direction! LOL. I just am who I am and say what I say, but usually with quite a lot of respect for another person but simply not for the untruth itself.

The doc was actually all right with it. He likes talking about being a doctor. Nothing I could ever say will make him feel like he is less than the king of the world, methinks! Ah well. It's all good.

[jacsam]

Eva....I loved reading about your experience. It reminds me of the quote that Eilene uses here on this forum. "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind". -Dr. Suess (now Dr. Suess is a doctor we can all enjoy)

[Eva]

Eva....I loved reading about your experience. It reminds me of the quote that Eilene uses here on this forum. "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind". -Dr. Suess (now Dr. Suess is a doctor we can all enjoy)

I LOVE that quote!!!!! I hadn't had that in my immediate attention before, but I totally dig it. LOL, thanks!