Guilt: An Introduction

If only I hadn't ordered that side of "apples & grapes," I would have been able to cover a homeless man's bus fare. And if only I wasn't vegan, I would have ordered a large enough meal to pay with a credit card and maintain the three dollars I spent on fruit to offer to that homeless man. However, the latter would have compromised my moral convictions towards animal cruelty, but would it have been worth it? Is a cow's life worth sparing for a poor man's bus ride? These questions can remain unanswered, for there is but one sure way out of this mess: selflessness. I should not have eaten anything. It seems Gandhi was right, whether concerning bovine or vagabond, when he said, "live simply so others can simply live."

I cannot, though, let this peculiar sense of guilt prevent me from functioning in ways necessary to survive and, God willing, flourish, but I can ask myself, "do I really need this?" the next time I consider dropping a buck or two.