At the end of the movie, Schindler's List, the screen displays a famous quote from the Talmud. This quote applies to the theme of the picture, the rescue of Jews from the Nazi Holocaust by Oscar Schindler. It reads: "He who saves a single life saves the world entire."
In dwelling on this idea, I thought of how this remark so appropriately applies to those of us who work to help and rescue animals. When you take in a stray kitten, feed it and give it a home; in a spiritual, metaphysical, cosmic sense, you save not only the tiny creature but the whole world too. When you bring in an abandoned dog who wanders the streets looking for a human to relate to, you save the whole world. When you change your diet to vegetarian and thereby reduce the commercial incentive for people to kill cows, lambs, pigs and chickens, you also save the world.
Every meat meal you reject, every fur you don't buy, every time you boycott products tested on animals, you save the world. And when you work for animal rights you save the world too.
Each life, human or animal, is infinitely precious, and on some level is tied in with all other life in a unitary organic universe. Choose to save this life and you save the world. So make that choice always and save the world over and over again. In the process, you will save your own soul as well.
Arthur Goldberg owns Veggie Singles Events at http://www.veggiesingles.com
Insert date: 2009-05-16 Last update: 2009-05-16
