Of foods, I love milk. And, of milk, I love raw milk.  Although I don’t like paying eighteen dollars a gallon for it, which is what it costs here in Northern California, it is worth it. Milk gives me strength, and raw milk gives me noticeably more elasticity in my muscles than plain milk. Maybe it is the enzymes? I am a vegetarian and milk fills the gaps of my sometimes not so carefully planned vegetarian diet. But there is a bigger reason than nutritional ones that lures me to milk. I like cows!

When I drink my milk I think of my benefactor, the generous natured, peaceful, mellow, sweet sounding, gracefully lumbering, big-brown eyed, grass grazing, powerful animal that is a symbol of giving, and in the East, purity.

While the cow is almost synonymous with milk, it offers much more. Her dung, which is prized in much India, Nepal, China, Vietnam and many rural areas where it is gathered daily, mixed with red mud, and used to coat the floors of farmhouses. It keeps insects out and dust down. Moreover, the same mixture is used instead of cement for new constructions and plastering walls. A home constructed out of brick, dung, and mud will be warmer, and insect repellant. Cow dung mixed with mud has a sweet fragrance, too, one of the things we notice right away when entering a village house in Nepal or India.

When I drink my milk I think about the sweet nature of the cow. It is known that milk is “sattvic” which means “pure” in Sanskrit and is why it is frequently offered at shrines. Pure well describes the nature of the cow, gentle, generous, peaceful, and beautiful. Cows never quarrel or compete for food. If other cows get to a trough first, those following will wait patiently until the first group are fed and wander away. Cows don’t fight. I feel peaceful drinking my milk and hope some of the cow’s gentle ways will rub off on me.

I think of the beautiful sound of the cow; her moo sounds so much like “Om” and equally soothing. It reminds me not to use harsh or abrupt speech or angry words towards others. I love the cow’s big brown eyes looking at me so free of fear and open and friendly. I should look at people just like that.

I think about how gracefully the cow walks, lumbering along, no rush to get anywhere. In a pinch you can harness her, and she will do a little plowing for you. She is happy to help out with a little light work, another part of her giving nature. I too, should avoid rushing about, and be more generous to offer help when needed.

Of course, we can’t forget the fertilizer that cows offer that make our organic vegies so tasty and nutritious. My gosh, even her poo is useful in many ways! And, I believe her urine is used in Ayuervedic medicine.

In India cows are sacred, and in fact, the Prime Minister, Modi, made it illegal last year to kill a cow anywhere in the country. The cow is, after all, the perfect policeman, wandering freely on streets and highways keeping traffic flowing at a safe speed.