Just ending the Awakin call today with Thomas Ponce, I was beyond humbled to be able to interview him today!

At 14 years old, Thomas holds so much wisdom. He shared about how it is to be a compassion warrior and animal rights activist in school. Teenage kids say stupid things, they are mean and cruel. Yet Tomas has insight and presence that allows him to both be in the moment, in a harsh junior/high school environment while also being able to see it with perspective far beyond his years.

He shared about how compassion is the thread that weaves through all he does- whether it is advocating for animals, the environment, or other humans. He lives his life through his heart. I could hear the urgency and fierce edge of his words, while also hearing the profound capacity for love.

The story that brought me to tears is his share about going to the beach on his 11th birthday and seeing a fisherman who caught a baby bonnet head shark. When Thomas asked what the fisherman was going to do with the shark, the guy callously said, "kill it, gut it, skin it, eat it." Thomas spent a bunch of time sharing why this man should not kill the shark, and should just let her go. Finally, the man relented. When it was time for Thomas to throw the shark back in the water, he explained that he saw the shark look at him with the knowledge of what Thomas had done. The shark knew that Thomas had just saved her life. This feeling, of making a difference in that one life that day, led Thomas to start doing more work on protecting sharks and their important role in our oceans.

He ended the call with a poem and a plea for everyone who was not already, to be vegan. He said veganism is a choice of the heart. To live knowing that you are not causing death, suffering and violence for other beings- is something that does a heart and a spirit good. I have to agree. :)