Love Wins: A Journey Beyond Millions - “Love over Money” documentary and some personal reflections

Hypothetical question: Would you reject a billion-dollar inheritance from your father?

Well, that is not Hollywood, that is real life of John Robbins, who was born in 1947, as he rejected a billion-dollar inheritance from his father who co-founded and built Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire in the US.

The ‘Films for Future’ film festival ended yesterday in Zurich and a documentary about the life of John Robbins was shown as the final film.

I was already fascinated by the trailer one month ago ??

It is difficult and courageous enough to go your own path.

It's another level when you're born into a family like that.

The film is full of inspiring insights and wisdom, precisely because two real worlds collide - the purely economic world and the - how shall I put it - ethical and spiritual world.

The title says it all: ‘Love over Money’.

A film worth recommending.

A life-affirming film.

Inspiring film.

Emotional film.

It starts with the fact that little John has everything but what he really wants: the love of his father and quality time with him.

His reality, on the other hand, is a lot of loneliness and a single loyal friend: his black cat.

John is brought up as the future heir and is allowed to work everywhere in the company from an early age.

But John grows up and realises that the servants of colour in the house are not treated well, that the cows that provide the milk for their ice cream are not happy cows grazing in the meadows and that ‘the standard American diet’ in combination with lots of ice cream may not be the best for the health.

The inner battle begins.

Since his father even supports the Vietnam War, their political views drift even further apart.

Enough is enough.

John rejects his inheritance and sets out to ‘find a way of service’.

He graduates from the University of California, Berkeley while working part-time to pay his tuition fees.

He marries and moves to Canada with his wife, where they buy a remote piece of land, build a simple wooden house and live very simply but very happy.

John says himself that he heals from his ‘rich kid’ life during this time.

The love of his wife is crucial for his healing journey.

They live very simply, grow their own vegetables and eat a purely plant-based diet.

John and his wife notice immense positive effects on their health.

John finds it fascinating and does some research - yes, there are actually already scientific studies showing that a plant-based diet has a positive effect on health.

Btw, in the documentary, John is already over 70 but looks amazingly fit and not even like 60 ??

Anyway, back to the story: John begins to put all these insights into a book, which has since become a bestseller: "Diet for a New America," which was groundbreaking in discussing the environmental and ethical implications of diet, particularly around animal agriculture.

He said in the film that it wasn't even important in the process whether he could publish it and whether anyone would read the book.

He was simply convinced he HAD to write it.

Like me now ??, I don't care if anyone will read my article or like it - I write because I want to write, I want to bring this inspiration that I felt to more people ??????

When John called his father and told him about the now published book, his father wasn't interested at all: he wouldn't read it.

Destiny would have it otherwise.

Due to his unhealthy lifestyle, John's father became very ill: heart disease and diabetes with the risk that one leg would have to be amputated and he would go blind.

Then his doctor told him: ‘Either you continue as before and then we can only make your last days as comfortable as possible with medication, or if you are prepared to change something, then there is still a way’.

At that moment, the doctor went to the bookshelf and pulled out the very book that his son, John Robbins, had published: ‘Diet for a New America’.

I have to remind you again: it's a documentary, not a Hollywood film, OK, you remember?

So this actually happened ??

Interestingly, the father is now so desperate that he reads the book and changes his diet and his life style.

The results are nothing short of miraculous.

One day, John's phone rings and his father actually says: ‘You were right after all! Thank God you followed your own star’.

What a ‘karmic collision’ as John himself says, that his very book ended up with the doctor and ultimately with his father.

Since then, John's father managed to live another 20 years (!!!) until he turned 90. Side note: the second co-founder of the ice cream dynasty, Mr Baskin, died of heart failure at 54.

The father and son even ‘work’ on their father-son relationship afterwards, or rather it is John, who had the empathy and the big heart, and worked on it.

His father has never learnt how to deal with his feelings.

So it is only on his deathbed that John manages to make his father feel the power of love and he even says the last words ‘less pain, more love’.

‘Love’ is exactly what John brings to the world as he becomes a sought-after keynote speaker and writes several more books on the topics of promoting health, compassion for animals, and environmental sustainability.

My personal epilogue:

Basically, I think it's a shame that the economic world is always presented in contrast to the ethical and spiritual world. I think they belong together. Yes, I am interested in business, but it should have a deeper meaning, it should improve people's lives in a sustainable way, it should be ethical and based on the highest laws of kindness.

Romantic?

Not at all!

Fortunately, I have some real-life examples that reinforce my belief. Yes, there is another, better, kinder world and I want to help continue to build it.

Nevertheless, this film also lives from these contrasts. There are times when you are surprised by some of the father's statements. It's hard to imagine that someone can be so emotionless, so cold. Are there really people who can't feel love? Or who can switch big feelings on and off at the touch of a button? In such a world: is it possible to stop loving somebody from one day to another? I don't believe it!

The film also brought some surprises: I expected more focus on the business side and was surprised to hear terms like ‘plant-based nutrition’ and its positive influence. The film turned out to be more exciting and multifaceted than I expected at the beginning. This film will stay with me in my thoughts and has already given me a lot of positive energy and inspiration.

Some may call this a romanticised view, so be it, but what cannot be denied is that this other view exists and somehow its supporters seem to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle that inspires me in particular.

At the end of the journey we will all know if it was worth it, no matter which path you choose.

See you on the other side ?? - well, many, many years in the future - because I want to be very old and still fit ??

Today, as it is Sunday, with lots of love and lots of inspiration,

Ludmilla

#DERRtobidifferent

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