If I were a cow?

[donq]

I've moved to live here, in a village (country that is away from towns and cities) for two years now. Every evening I see a cowman tends his cows to eat some grasses nearby.

One day I had a quick chat with him and just knew that they were beef cattle. Have you ever heard of these animals cried when they (including buffaloes, pigs etc.) were in the truck to slaughterhouses? As if they knew in advance! Once you did, you would never forget that awful sound!

I'm not a serious vegetarian. I hope I was, but I could not. Vegetarian meals (or even healthy foods) seem to more expensive than normal food. Eggs are inevitably my daily food. And the taste of textured vegetable protein is...urh...so bad.

Back to my point, sometimes I wonder do those cows live happy lives? Comparing to homeless men, they have their (cow) houses to sleep and their cowman feed them so well whenever they are hungry (yes, not really for the benefit of his cows but himself). There's nothing to worry about, right? Happy? Yes, until the day they were brought to a slaughterhouse.

Is that kind of life worth it?

[gruntal]

Self awareness can be such a mixed blessing. Once attained I do not think it can ever be denied. To know yourself seems to naturally segue into your fate ( and eventual death ) and who wants to dwell on that?

Only once - very recently - did I actually witness the euthanasia of one of my pets. I dreaded seeing that but it turned out well. The dog only seemed to sense what was happening at the end and was initially frozen with fear. I held it's paw and my girl friend hugged him and he smiled and smiled and knew we were not abandoning him.

I doubt I will transition as comfortably as him ....

[donq]

Hi George,

While the (animal) euthanasia is legal, (human) mercy killing or “right to die” still seems to be controversial in many countries. As for me, I kind of agree with it, even Buddhism very prohibited from any killing. And in that aspect, I'm not much a good Buddhist especially after I've moved here because sometimes I have to kill centipedes and scorpions in my house (someone who lives here was badly stung by one of them once).

I had a near-death experience when I had been in ICU for two months (long story, let me skip it here). So, I know the firsthand about the pain of dying. And that's why I think the dying persons should have their own rights (not others) to choose if they want to live or to die.

I heard this quote many times in some action movies, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me". That seems to inspire to fight the death. I wonder if there are other quotes in the Bible to inspire to "embrace" the death?

P.S. I always wonder who teach cats to cover their poop, and why forgot to teach dogs the same?

[mojomojo]

This weekend, I spent looking at the body of a five year old child and her father, who were laid out at a wake.
They were the victims of a seemingly freak accident, where a gas leak caused an explosion, eight others were also killed.
It’s very hard to keep faith when a young child loses its life, there is no sense or reason to it.
We could comfort ourselves, that an older person had a life of sorts.
Then there is the one who is left behind, her whole family taken from her in one instant.
Would you consider her the lucky one.
I spent the weekend looking at two bodies, and the mother who seems to have died inside.

[gruntal]

Some times the Black Widow spiders were so numerous they would hang down from my door knobs like Christmas tree tinsel. The tarantulas would be crawling all over my property; scorpions were more elusive but a dead scorpion carcass reminded me they were there. Recently I did a walk to a beach ( in the big city ) and a small rattlesnake was sharing the same path. The others went "eek eek" but no one thought to grab the nearest log and do a snake pounding. Cougars ( Mountain Lions ) are different but almost invariable we just keep our distance from them and let them go their way.

You just learn to live with some things.

I love machines so dying in a car crash might be appropriate but Human beings make me uncomfortable so being murdered would just add insult to injury. Or the other way around. Maybe living your life with grace and dignity is all you can try to do and just let the rest to ponder the whys and wants at your demise ....

[donq]

Hi Robert,

You were right. Psychological/mental dying (dying inside) is worse.

Sometimes those who died seem to be more lucky in this aspect.

Hi George,

Well said!