I have been keeping up with all the posts lately about frustration with friends and family for either not understanding raw and criticizing the lifestyle, people not taking it/you seriously, people not realizing that the key to their health is in the food they eat, etc.

I had an experience last night which might lighten the hearts of those of you who are feeling frustration and isolation as a raw foodist.

I am living in Berlin right now. Last night I had dinner with some women who live in the apartment I am moving into in December (a Scottish 20-something, a Czech woman and a 2 German women). When I agreed to the dinner, they didn't know that I was eating only raw foods, and about a week before the dinner I let the hostess know my limitations. I offered to bring food for myself and to share, and that she should go ahead and make the pizza she was planning.

I made two beautiful salads with MORE than enough to go around, and showed up with my bag of goodies to share. When I walked into the apartment, all three women were in the kitchen chopping veggies and fruit. I thought maybe there was going to be a salad, with most of the other veggies going to the pizzas, so I assembled my salads next to them and we all chatted. A few minutes later, the counter started to pile up with raw food dishes, MUCH to my surprise.

The lovely Scottish girl, Carolyn, was literally bouncing around the kitchen because she was so excited about all the food she had purchased for the meal. Waldorf salad. Carrot/raisin salad. Greek salad. Fruit salad. And, of course, the two that I had brought. We started to realize how much food we had, and we decided to stop preparing more food (much to the disappointment of Carolyn, who had two more salads on the menu).

Basically, when all was said and done, there were about 6 salads, chopped veggies, and humus lining the counters waiting for our FEAST! And, all this because I had mentioned that I was Raw.

Carolyn had spent a week looking up recipes online and getting ingredients. I couldn't believe it! And, while some of the ingredients were not raw, all the women had made a specific effort to create an entire meal attempting to honor my limitations.

Between mouthfuls of food, one or the other would remark about how they couldn't believe they were eating only veggies, or that they were actually getting full. After a time, the conversation shifted to more regular topics like linguistics and culture, etc. And, every-so-often the matriarch of the house would randomly ask me a hard-ball question about raw foods, which of course I had an answer for. At the end of the meal, everyone was stuffed and very satisfied. People kept eating, even after they were full, until there was nothing left!

As I was heading home last night, I reflected about how lucky I was to have had that experience. I too have had some weird and almost hostile encounters with raw skepticism, and it can be exhausting. But, to be in another country with a international group of women, and to have them go above and beyond "live and let live," was truly moving.

I wanted to share this story because it is proof that there ARE people out there who understand and who are willing to listen, try, support and explore raw and living foods, EVEN if they don't chose that for their lives. And through your personal frustrations, keep in mind that there as many interested people as disinterested, as many certain as skeptical, as many willing as unwilling, and as many open as closed. I got to see that last night, and I will never forget it!

"With life as short as a half taken breath, don't plant anything but love."- Rumi

Nyaz,

Cherish that moment, as they are far & few between!

This is me smiling from ear-to-ear. What a glorious experience. Having much experience with many different cultures, this also typifies the standard level of hospitality from many other cultures aside from our own. Extremely gracious and accomodating. What a beautiful experience and thank you for sharing. =)

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"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

What a wonderful story! Ho lucky you are to have such tremendously decent people in your life right now! You must have a magnet in you somewhere that draws goodwill--keep it polished and it will serve you well : )

yaaay

Heart warming.


My favorite raw vegan

Thanks for sharing that. Beautiful story And inspiring.

That's great! Sooner or later, most folks that eat this way will eventually go to a raw food 'potluck' or get together.....or maybe even a festival......or just meet another person who is very curious and open. These are the great moments! Heh...heh. I don't mean to be discouraging....but I've been eating this way for about 10 years and I have yet to make one 'convert' ha! ha! What I DO see is my family and friend eating a LITTLE better and being a LITTLE wiser about their diet consciousness.

Piece of advice: if you are going to be preachy...heh..heh....make sure to use humor! That way people can always laugh it off if they're in a hard place.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

davidzanemason Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Piece of advice: if you are going to be
> preachy...heh..heh....make sure to use humor! That
> way people can always laugh it off if they're in a
> hard place.
>
> -David Z. Mason

AMEN !!!!! =)

*****************************
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson

I've encountered many different reactions from people about various different things and its nice when you have a pleasant experience. It can be hard to predict what direction a person is going to come out if they feel like they are being pushed onto the ropes and cornered. Thanks for sharing.

very cool story i hope youve made some cool longterm friends in the group

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thanks for all the kind words, ladies and gents!

It was a wonderful experience.

And, I definitely realize it is a rare opportunity I had. I am just thankful!

As for the preachy potentials.... I don't think that I really go there often.... I know how much it turns people off to start to tell them what they "should" be doing, and I am NEVER looking to convert someone... that's too dogmatically based for my taste! People will learn what they want, and find what they want in life! I'm just there to talk about it! PLUS, when people get preachy with me about stuff that I don't believe in, I turn off faster than a light in a power outage (wow... did that one work? LOL!)....

I appreciate all the support here, though!

Lots of love!

-N

"With life as short as a half taken breath, don't plant anything but love."- Rumi