Wise Beyond Years

A member of Vision Voice Veg*n'z for the Brazos Valley, Cheryl Anne Chandler is one of the most amazing young teens that I think I have had the pleasure of knowing. She is years beyond her age in wisdom, awareness, respect, & knowledge when we talk the state of the environment and our Earth; when we talk the conditions of the world and the health of its populations; and when we talk nutrition and the devastating effects that our standard American diet (SAD) has not only on our bodies; but also, on this planet. I am proud to post this blog she emailed to me in response to What Does Bike Safety have to do with "Being Vegan?"I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you, C.C., once again for contributing to our blogsite!!! And now in her own words:

I'm sure you've already noticed this, but i really like to write. Especially when it comes to things i'm passionate about. For me, as i told Kelin, being vegan and a raw foodist is a package deal. It IS a lifestyle. There's a spiritual aspect, an emotional aspect, an environmental aspect, and a health aspect. They are all very important to me.

What TuXeDo wrote in response to your blog was beautiful. I mean, what can I say after that? It came straight from his soul. He's really living a 'natural', vegan lifestyle compared to most of the people (even most of the vegans) in this country. Which is amazing. He chooses not to drive a car, even though if he did, things would probably be a lot easier for him. He sets a great example for me.

I'll be 16 in a year. My mom wants me to drive. My peers are expecting me to drive. Everyone is expecting me to drive a car. I don't want to. For one thing, it kinda scares me. But mostly, i don't want to drive a car because i know that it would be better for my health and the health of my earth, my future and the future of my earth, if i didn't. It's gonna be really hard for me to stand up, put my foot down, and make that decision when the time comes. It's gonna be really hard for me to deal with the reprecussions of that decision long after i make it.

So why would i do it? Because i know that i can't be held back from standing up for what i believe in, and doing something that i know in my heart is right, just because it's hard. "The road less traveled is not always the easiest one." In fact, it's probably never gonna be.

But you know... i must be the luckiest girl in the world to have the loving support of my mom, TuXeDo, and this wonderful group. Thank you all for believing in me. Peace and LOVE. ~MC

Bless the Beasts, Bless the Children and Bless this Earth