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Story:

You are on a bus full of people. It's traveling fast along a road. It's fun on the bus. Everyone is laughing and dancing and having a good time.

While dancing, you look out the window. You see a yellow sign whiz by. It says, "Caution: Road Closed Ahead. Danger!"

You turn to others on the bus. You say, "Did you see that sign? It said,  'Road closed ahead!'"

The others on the bus just shrug, laugh and keep dancing. "We didn't see a sign!"

You forget about it, and continue dancing. But as the bus rolls along you notice another street sign: "Caution. Road ends ahead. Steep drop. Extreme danger. Turn around immediately."

You turn to your seatmate and point, "There, did you see THAT sign? It said that the road is going to end. Didn't you see the sign?" Your seatmate says, "I didn't see the sign. Are you sure? You must be imagining things."

Next, you see a huge red billboard on the side of the road. "Road ends in 50 meters. Last exit before road drops off! Danger!"

Still, the others on the bus are oblivious to the signs. And the people on the bus start to think that you are the crazy one, imagining signs that they cannot see.

Asking the bus driver to stop the bus to let you off is hard. And watching the bus pull away while you're standing alone on the side of the road is a dark, lonely moment.

But once you start walking something beautiful will happen. You'll see a figure up ahead - another person walking ahead of you.

You pick up the pace to catch up. Finally, out of breath, you're close enough to talk. You ask, "Where are you going?"

They answer, "Well, I was traveling on a bus, but I kept seeing these signs..."

Are you still on the bus? Have you seen the signs? I will walk with you.

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The Rawtarian's picture

The Rawtarian

May 07, 2012

This is my paraphrased version of a raw food inspiration story that I read a few years ago in the book "Raw Family" by The Boutenkos. I hope you will find comfort in it on your journey to better health.

Maria

May 07, 2012

Thank you for sharing
The Rawtarian's picture

The Rawtarian

May 07, 2012

It's my pleasure, Maria.

Kathy

May 08, 2012

Food for thought!

Hope

May 07, 2012

I like this.
The Rawtarian's picture

The Rawtarian

May 07, 2012

I like that you like it :)

Nancy

May 07, 2012

For a minute there I was worried...i thought you were going to say something bad had happened to you! Glad to see you blogging again...i was missing your posts :)
The Rawtarian's picture

The Rawtarian

May 07, 2012

Thanks Nancy. It's nice to be missed! All is well, just had a very busy month. Calming down a bit now, I hope!

Annie

May 07, 2012

That is a wonderful story! I love it. It's exactly how I feel every day trying to get my husband (and other family members) to see what a difference even a partially raw diet can make. Alas, they've seen the "signs" and just apparently aren't that worried. (death of loved ones from cancer, etc). Luckily, at least my kids can be persuaded off the bus! :) Thanks, Rawtarian! I love the website and am so glad I found it!

Sue Wright-Doucet

May 07, 2012

What this story says to me is that most of the people on the bus (in life) are oblivious to the effect of diet on health. They just keep on moving through life, not noticing any signs of the detrimental effects of the food that we consume daily.....and at some point, it will be too late. I, however, am seeing the signs and choose to get off this crazy bus before 'the end of the road'. I choose a "road less traveled", but surprisingly find that there are others who have chosen to go against the grain and get off the bus too.

Jessica

May 07, 2012

Great story! I love it. To me, it means that you have to watch the signs for yourself, and you're putting yourself in danger if you let yourself follow the popular opinion of the group. The majority of people don't always know the right thing to do; think for yourself.

Eric Baker

May 07, 2012

I have the disease Ankylosing Spondylitis, which has cause intense pain and inflammation in most of the joints in my body. After doing alot of research on the disease i found out that diet could make a big difference in fighting the disease. I went on the London-AS- No-Starch diet That Dr Alan Ebringer came up with to fight the disease. I removed all starch, all refined sugar and all dairy form my diet. With in 3 months I had already started to feel a difference and now after almost 6 years on the diet i am near remission. It has been very difficult to try and get other individuals with (AS) to get on this diet because most rely on Medications to much but I have slowly started to get a few to get on the diet and they are starting to feel better also.

cassandra

May 07, 2012

SUCH a good metaphor. i have not made the switch to a completely raw food diet, but i have been making more frequent decisions in regards to my food and health choices. i am noticing how my body is reacting (positively)! more and more, i am realizing how i am getting in tune with my body and its needs. before, i never considered being "out of touch" with my body but now i can see that i totally was... i wouldn't notice a "sign" that was standing right in front of me... totally unconscious. maybe i was in a mental food coma? a metaphorical mental "road blockage" caused by all the high fat, sugar, salt and chemicals i was ingesting. anyway, it feels good to be aware. i am a new subscriber - really digging your podcast!

Dme

May 07, 2012

yeah isn't it funny how when you do get off the bus everything starts to become clearer. Even your chosen path seems to be more understood. It is like an awakening to your natural senses, they seem to become more aware to what is understood within yourself. you start to learn how to love yourself first, by taking care of your own bus and its own direction, then everything else just falls into its' right place, after that the only direction you will have to be concerned with is what to do with all the good feelings and who to share them with.

Jacqueline Davis

May 07, 2012

I feel like this is either a dream or that you are having an out of body experience. Either way I really enjoyed reading this and I hope that there is more to read soon.

Ellis

May 07, 2012

was afraid ull stay on z bus! Am glad u r here to walk wz me! :) Keep on walking n we ll keep on joining! PS : was out of breath to get to z end of z story;)

Carissa

May 07, 2012

Thank you for this story. I have been one month raw, and the last few days have been a huge struggle. I feel like I am surrounded by people who I love who are trying to convince me that those signs don't exist. I watch them stuff their faces with food loaded with pesticides, toxins, and other nasty stuff, and then they talk endlessly about how awful they feel and their long list of ailments, This story reminded me that I am seeing MY truth, and it is completely right for me. I see those signs so clearly. I see there is another road, a beautiful, lush, enjoyable road that I can take instead. Your story made me realize that I am not alone on this journey, I just need to look around, and make friends with the other travelers.

susan warren

May 07, 2012

i may be on my own or find others who travels off the normal nutritional pathway...as i believe that fresh fruits and vegetables are the road to well being!

Karen Sinclair

May 07, 2012

My sign post was a dual diagnosis of fatty liver disease and insulin resistant muscles which caused muscle failure if I exercised and then I had seizures. I stopped the SAD abusive bus I was on going full speed off the cliff. I turned my entire bus around and now free of both ailments plus 20 others. All because of dietary improvements to the point of now beginning 100 days of 80/10/10. I am sooo happy!

Carol C

May 07, 2012

This is exactly how I feel sometimes.....frustrated that I cannot share this knowledge with others. I feel that it is a shame to know something + not be able to share it. The perfect story....to make me keep on believing, even when others do not. :)

Marti Gallagher

May 07, 2012

It really is about the feeling of solitude in walking the path to health through raw food. I had a huge flashing sign about my health, and made changes over the course of a few years. If I didn't have online support through sites such as rawtarian, I know I would have gone over the proverbial cliff. It is a lonely road to travel for many of us who don't have a like-minded community. Thank you for the support you give the community--I'm quite sure many of us have you and others to thank for a better, more healthful life. Cheers from New Zealand!

Jacqueline Harlan

May 08, 2012

Great story. How true it is of the SAD diet and we see the warning signs and don't want to see them so we ignore them but there is some that get off and get on a Raw Vegan diet and are now on the road to health but so many others are still on the bus and you wonder will they ever see the light. Thanks for the story and your website

Tracey

May 08, 2012

I think everyone has those signs and it's up to you whether you see them or not, and when. I'm still trying to stay off the bus. I'm trying to figure it out and let the bus go, but it's hard getting off the bus alone. Thank you for the story so I can keep looking for those who have gotten off the bus too.

Gloria Reiss

May 08, 2012

I saw the signs and took heed several years ago, both my husband and I are much better off for the changes, now I have directed our oldest daughter to find you and really pay attention, her health is in very precarious shape right now.

Kealy

May 08, 2012

I thrive in a large crowd. It invigorates my very being to have that many options for an intelligiant conversation. It was very hard for me to accept Jesus alone as my savior. This story reminded me of the change that took place in my heart. Talk about raw truth and a health transformation! There are consequences for every action whether we accept it or not. My way of life now separates me from the bus crowd. Thanks so much for sharing this.

Vicki

May 08, 2012

This bus story is so true. Everyone wants solutions to their ills, but they think we're crazy and" over the top," if we go on about eating live fresh foods to help cure their sicknesses.So they dont listen to the warning signs and stay on the bus :( So glad im off the bus :)

patricia

May 08, 2012

to me, this story means to trust our intuition.....we will soon find others who trust theirs, also....i am off the bus....

Tressa

May 08, 2012

The story shows me that not everyone is apying attention, they just go with the flow. You can try to help others but they will not always want to listen. Love and trust and you will walk among those who are kindred. Our body should be our temple, if we look after it by nourishing it and nurtutring it our intuition will guide us correctly. Life is spiritual, physical, emotional and so much more. You must make a whole-istic approach to life and love yourself an all others as much as you can.

Martie

May 08, 2012

At almost 47 years of age, I am blessed to be healthy. Had a cancer scare 15 years ago where I was in phase 1 of uteral cancer. I went for tests regularly to monitor this, but after a year I said to the docter that that is no way of living and he must remove it. Other than that I am blessed. My father died at 87. He was a heavy smoker, but my mom made sure he ate healthy foods. My mom got lung cancer at 80 - she never smoked, but living with smokers and working with smokers probably caused it. They removed most of the lung and she is now almost 85. I believe that her attitude towards life, faith and living healthily is to be thanked for her health. Seven months ago, I started seeing the 'signs'. Small signs. Mostly because of my husbands' health ;-). We have since then, incorporated a lot of changes and I believe that the benefits will be more evident as time goes on. He has always believed that he will die at his fathers' age (56) because his father and his siblings all died at that age. My husband is turning 51 soon. I believe that is why he got on the raw food-bus and juicing with me. We are about 60-70% raw - most days! Thank you for being an inspiration and help to us.

Amanda

May 08, 2012

Wow, I really related to this story, it's hard to break from the crowd and take what you know to be the better route while everyone else wants to ignore the signs. I'm going to refer this to anyone who is in need of some inspiration.

ZoeChen

May 08, 2012

Thanks for the illustration... very apropos for my personal situation. I know I need to get off the bus. I see the signs. I'm not still dancing, but I'm not off the bus yet either!! I'm making baby steps by adding more raw foods into my diet. Websites like yours are helping me. Thanks so much. Please keep the inspiration and the recipes coming. ...

Jutta

May 08, 2012

Have gotten back on the bus and have noticed a significant decrease in health. The absence of pain is not usually felt ..pain is . Me and mine will not be bussing it again even though the learning curve is steep and time intensive . Thank you for making it easier.

Nancy

May 08, 2012

Oh this is just what I needed to read today! I work in a unhealthy cafe that serves milk shakes, desserts,... I try not to eat there but I do find myself tasting tooooooooo many things. I got laid of for the summer as it is on a college campus. I can not quit working there as it allows my children 90 percent discount!!! But I promised my self I was getting off sugar this summer so when I go back I will not be so tempted. I also am going raw for the summer. One of my husbands friends asked us out to an expensive restaurant. I told my husband I could not go as I will be starting a juice fast at that time. He tried to beg me but I have promised my self I am not going to eat food i do not want to eat just to make some one else happy. I am 56 years old and it way past time for me to pay attention to the signs and get off the bus! Thanks so much!

Annie

May 08, 2012

I'm a 72 yr. young nutritional minded person and I've been trying to get people to see the signs now for years not only for their health but also for the health of the planet. But not everyone is at that place in their life where they 'get it' so I just pass on whatever and whenever I can by example and then offering information when I see an opening. I love walking!

Rose

May 08, 2012

The signs I see are: Sinus problems, weight gain, acne, and overall tiredness. I need to get off the SAD bus and back on the Raw Food pathway. :)

Lisa

May 08, 2012

The bus story has come into my focus at the perfect moment as a confirmation of my next step in my health arena. A year ago I was eating raw for 6 months and enjoyed the results but slipped back into my old eating patterns. But I noticed while being on the raw food diet that a cyst that I have had since I was 15 years old disappeared. This got me thinking would it have made a difference to my breast condition which is monitored every year as I have many types of cysts in the breast tissue. Got the best news that the lumps had halved and the rest got smaller. Its been a year since and just went back to doctors for breast check up and this time new lump and the others have grown back in size since being off raw. Am waiting results of biopsy at present but this story brought it home that I have a choice to take back my health and get back into feeling so alive and energetic on my raw diet. The doctor is documenting the results as he said if I went back on the diet and there was a big change again it would give proof also that the diet helps. Thanks for the story.

Khadija

May 09, 2012

Our bodies, much like our cars, give us signs as to what conditions are present. If we use the wrong oil or gas, our cars won't perform satisfactorily. If we don't eat the right foods and take in the proper nutrients, our bodies won't perform as well. We don't have little lights on the dashboards to warn us. We get headaches, maybe a fever, chest pain, stiff joints. Like most of the people on the bus, we tend to ignore the signs, which always leads to more problems. We must learn to watch for and pay closer attention to our health.

Laura Black

May 16, 2012

It took me a moment, but then it hit me like a ton of bricks. All these messages my body is sending me, aches and twitches, digestive issues, etc. Time to look at seriously changing my eating habits. Thanks for that hard look in the mirror.

OrganicWoman

Jun 05, 2012

Getting off the bus is the easy part for me. It's almost a given because I'm a Natural Health Consultant and have tried raw a few times. For me it's keeping up the lifestyle when I get really busy. Now that I have found your site and some great recipes I think I can do it this time. Got tired of crackers and salad. But I love your bread recipe and the pie etc. Thanks

maya

Jun 07, 2012

Thank you for this. I just stumbled on your blog and I love it! Maya

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