Never one to be discouraged by an obstacle, my five-year-old grandson told me yesterday that he is telling his family not to fish. His maternal grandparents like to go fishing, and he knows from reading That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals, a book by Ruby Roth, that fish are very sensitive and have sensitive mouths. I was amazed at this, because my perception of this little boy was that he kept things compartmentalized, just like the rest of us. I thought his interest in veganism was only allowed to bloom at my house.

A First Vegan Outreach

Whenever he has asked me why his other grandparents fish, I have told him I think they do not know about fish and their feelings. Being asked why other adults do not care about the feelings of other animals always leaves me somewhat perplexed. Why don’t they care? I wish I knew. I hope it is lack of education about their sentience, their will to live, their wish to avoid pain – just like our same wishes for our own lives. My grandson must have decided that his grandparents just needed to hear the truth, and they would stop hurting the fish. I hope that his faith in education is warranted; I hope he continues to be a voice for the animals of this world.  I hope he will not become disappointed in the speciesism of this world and the adults that have been so indoctrinated into it that they do not even realize it exists.

First Steps Toward a Vegan World

My grandson has faith in vegan outreach. At five years old, he has already become an advocate for animals and taken part in vegan education. It gives me hope that such young children can be so outspoken about animals and their feelings. I hope he finds fertile ground to plant those vegan seeds. And I hope that what he learns from me is not confusing or distressing to him. I hope he finds all the peace, health, connection, and love that being a vegan provides. And, I hope there is a world, a vegan world, that will still be here for him as he grows up. There is a lot of work to do to see that happen  – I am glad he is getting an early start on helping us to spread the word!

I later learned it was a conjoint birthday party, including the birthday of the fishing grandpa.  The boat ride lasted an exceptionally long time, and the returning mariners ended up needing to have dinner about 7 pm.  There was nothing for me, so it was suggested I come over when they were done, about 8:30 pm.  By then, having been up since about 4:30 am, and not feeling terribly welcome, I decided to wait until the next day to give my grandson his gifts. It had been a long day and I did not yet know that it was a conjoint gathering. Had I known, I would have come by to pay my respects to the adults who were celebrating, but I did not yet know. And fourth birthdays have special significance in our family, so at the time, it was a disappointment.

The next day the little one came over with his brother and his father and opened up his gifts.  I had a treasure map to find the pirate ship I purchased for him; he had to search through clues in a half dozen different places to find his gifts.  He and his older brother had a great time.  He said something to me about fishing; I didn’t realize his grandfather would be bringing a little fishing pole for him.  He mentioned that the fish had something red in his mouth.  I asked if it was blood; he said it was a tongue or something, he wasn’t sure, but he made a face.  He didn’t like fishing; he asked me if I liked fishies. I said yes, I like them alive and swimming around and being free. End of conversation and on to playing with his new gifts.

My grandson will have to decide for himself how he feels about bugs and fish and other creatures.  He shows great empathy around me but is adaptable to his circumstances.  I asked my son to please have a birthday for him that did not include harming any animals, but I did not sense much support; at times I think my beliefs about compassion offend the entire world.  I know that missing family gatherings because of vegan values is a common occurrence, but it is painful nonetheless. I think it is indicative of how frequently animals pay the price for human desires, because I know how frequently I am not included in things in life. I try to find ways to participate, to not leave my son in an awkward position because of my beliefs, without compromising my own values. I can only hope there will be more vegans by the time my little grandson grows up – he loves anything vegan, even me. I hope there will be a world left for him to grow into, a kinder world, where other people, other animals are respected and treated with kindness.  Meanwhile, I will miss the party if it includes harming other individuals, be they finned, feathered, or furred. It is a small price to pay to respect my fellow inhabitants.