I've recently come to the conclusion that for heathens like me, Green is the new Religion.
Seriously, nothing makes me feel more virtuous (and maybe the teensiest bit holier-than-thou) than refusing plastic bags or buying organic vegetables. Switching out part of my cosmetic arsenal for a product that won't lay waste to the planet or make my face fall off is accompanied by a small, sure glow in my heart. The feeling that I did the right thing.
Opting out of using pesticides in the yard? That's equivilant to 50 Hail Marys, or something. Buying dish detergent that isn't full of sulfates? Never mind love thy neighbour, I love the whole planet. Walking to work instead of driving?
Uh...I'm still working on that one
I love wandering through the isles of our local health food market. They have the most delicious smoothies, a fabulous bakery section chock full of goodies made without artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or trans fats. Their organic produce is beautiful and all the snacks for the kids are all natural with no crazy sounding chemicals in the ingredients.
For the past couple of months I have become a regular and I wish I could shop there for all my groceries. I love the whole experience, and I get a kick out of how mellow all the employees are. So Zen. They move slowly and with purpose as if they are filled with the peace and joy of the Buddha. It's my own little oasis of calm, nestled right down the street.
The only catch.... CHA-CHING!!
As I balanced the checkbook it became abundantly clear to me that my little healthy food addiction is going to put us in the poor house.
The gist of it is that it is just plain cheaper and easier to buy food that is bad for us.
Some possible solutions:
I could give up some things, like the gym, trips to World Market or getting my hair done every six weeks to finance my trips to Earth Fare, but I think we all know that I'm too shallow and selfish to do something that drastic.
I could get another job to pay for my new interest in pure, fresh, flavorful, cruelty free food.
I could build a greenhouse and a barn in the backyard and start growing my own veggies and harvesting my own milk and eggs. This could be big. I wouldn't even need to workout because I'd be so buff from picking strawberries and bailing hay. hahaha right.
or...I could get real and face the fact that I'm going to have to mix it up.
Some days we'll have to throw caution to the wind and eat chemically tainted apples, abused cows and piles of refined white sugar. We won't feel good about it, but at least we will be able to pay the mortgage every month.
When we start to get sluggish and chubby, we'll switch back to the healthy stuff.
I think I'm onto something here.
But Yay for me! Today is Wednesday..think I will head on downtown to the Farmers Market in search of fresh and tax free organic herbs, fruits, and vegetables. A homeade doughnut or two never hurt anyone either...or did it? Oh Well. Like I was saying...mix it up!!
In pursuit of being the healthiest girl in the poor house,
