I started writing with the intent to encourage you to shop local this holiday season; to try to not use Amazon or if you do, search those same brands individually on their own websites. I was even going to include a list of local entrepreneurs and sustainable brands I invest in when something occurred to me…
Why is it we are ever asking people just trying to get by to do better, shop smarter, and make better choices while CEO’s like Jeff Bezos and company’s like Nestle have really no sense of urgency to consult with their moral compass and usually only make changes when their image is at risk. It is not like I am sitting here saying supporting small business is not important, the sense of joy it brings me is second to none, but let’s face it, supporting local isn’t always possible. Our costs are usually higher as for me personally I use AAA gemstones, then spend an entire day doing your personalized reading-write up, custom oracle spreads, and other insights. I don’t have a team to help me individually knot, package and ship your piece, not to mention the affects of energy work in general, and I charge accordingly. I also sell a product that lets be honest, you don’t need. Do not misunderstand me, my energy alignment tools are created in your individual energy and spell-bonded to an intention that I fully believe magically aids and assists you on your journey. I believe in what I do with all of my being, but it is a beautiful artistic added bonus you spend when you can afford to, and not because you need it, Magic is free! You do not need any product from Crazy Cat Witchy, and no one has better intuition about you and your life than you! So when I was preparing to write a post to ask people to support local, knowing we are in a global pandemic, knowing most people want to gift give but really are just trying to put food on the table, or can only really spend 20$ or so on a person, all I could think to myself was “what kind of a privileged asshole tells people not to shop at Amazon when YOU know it may be the most affordable, most convenient, and not to mention safest option for some.” And with that I checked myself back into reality and bring to you this blog post instead with the sentiments that you do whatever puts a smile on your face and brings you a little more ease and grace this holiday season.
Let’s be completely honest, how many of you feel truly depressed leading up to times that centre the focus around family love, when maybe your family is a little less than the family on the Christmas Movies. Anyone else out there relate to the family dynamic of “August Osage County” more? This is not me being a Grinch, trust me I absolutely LOVE Christmas, I just want to let those know that PTSD coming up in and around the holidays is a real thing, and whatever you are feeling, leave space for it. It is also okay if you use this time to take a break from hardship and focus on gratitude if that resonates with you too. Essentially do whatever the fuck you want.
If you have the money to support local, and truly resonate with my work, I would love your support, but if Amazon is your one stop shop and in between ailing parents, a global pandemic, managing kids, school, work, or just your mental health this service truly gives you what you need, do not feel shame! Never feel shamed into doing anything that puts you out in a way that sacrifices yourself. I would even go one step farther and say when purchasing a spiritual product it should feel easy, exciting and anything but stressful. I don’t know who needs to hear this but that person will have a sale, a better product will come along that is more suited to you, paying your bills and putting food on the table is the best gift you can give to anyone. Anyone who tells you different are probably too privileged to be all that self-reflexive, and it is important you not take that on.
If you do shop local, or choose sustainable brands, or for that matter go vegan, or shop waste free do it because it makes you feel good and it is in alignment with your soul. I am a big believer that slow, small sustainable changes that help to raise your moral take time, and should never be done because someone bullied you into feeling you weren’t doing enough for this planet. Privilege is something my continued anti-racism work has and still is teaching me. Being able to choose healthy / organic food, and sustainable choices is a privilege a lot of people do not have. Sometimes the people who treat our plant the best are the worst people I know. Characterizing our value or our honourable merit based on what brands we chose to shop and how we move about in the world with our money is a gross error in judgment that I think genuinely leads to superiority in the worst way. I am going to use an example now, but please know I am not characterizing all vegans in this way, and please don’t come for me! I knew a girl once. Her and her vegan friends doused themselves in fake blood and lay “fake dead” during Ottawa’s annual “rib fest” in protest of anyone who chose to attend. Kids were traumatized and worried they were actually dead and when I asked her if that bothered her she said, “her parents should feel the pain of their trauma so they can know how animals feel.” I said hmmm “okay, well where did you get your shirt?” She replied “Stiches, why?” I said something to the affect of ‘companies like Stiches outsource their clothing from 3rd world countries like Bangladesh where woman and children are locked in a warehouse, starved and the doors are barricaded without bathroom breaks. They usually get severe incurable illnesses from the dyes used and one of those factories collapsed recently killing hundreds of thousands of people. Now that being said, we live in a society where we are expected to be clothed, I don’t know your financial situation and I would never tell you how to dress or where to shop, maybe you could also attempt to open up to the idea that most people know how to feed themselves, and some people would actually be extremely anaemic without meat’. Let’s just say not only did the conversation end pretty fast, she unfollowed me on Instagram.
All of this to say we will never completely understand all the hidden struggles of mental illness, or the outward struggles of someone living in severe poverty, or someone who seems to live and work well but is actually using all their spare time to care for a parent with stage 4 cancer, do what feels good to you, and serves to lift your life in a very heavy time. Growing up after my parents divorce I wore whatever hand me down clothes were given to me, and ate whatever food would keep me full to the next meal, it’s a little, okay a lot hypocritical to talk ethics of where to shop when I was that kid who was living in poverty, and while there are many people celebrating this year in poverty just happy to have shelter water, and food. It was an important moment I checked myself and like any Sagittarius why not open my big mouth and hold myself accountable and share my lesson with all of you!
Wishing safe and strong mental and physical health during this wild time.
