It's been a week without meat and I'm doing OK with the new way of eating and shopping. It's actually been pretty easy. I've been for dinner at my sisters and out to a restaurant without any hankerings for meat. I've been grocery shopping and didn't even walk past the meat section. So far, so good. I came home to find my husband cooking bacon and didn't even start salivating. I'm not going to lie, it smelled damn good but, I just thought about the sizzling pig flesh and moved on.
Now, for the hard part-the family! When I approached my family about making a united choice to give up meat I was met with a mixed reaction. My eldest daughter let out an audible sigh of relief and said, "thank you, mommy". She made the choice not to eat meat 2 years ago and hasn't looked back. My husband's response was interesting but, not surprising. He really gave it some thought for awhile. He was chewing on the idea which got my hopes up. As he opened his mouth, I thought he would say that he would ponder it for a few days and then we could talk about it. Nope, he said, "what about chicken?" So, needless to say, my husband will need some more pondering time. I knew my youngest daughter would be resistant as she loves meat and would happily eat steak at every meal but, I thought I could get her on the animal rights and cruelty issues. She loves animals and hopes to one day adopt 5 dogs and 2 horses. Her response, "I can't live without bacon." Some people might remind me that I am the one that buys the groceries, therefore I'm in charge. That would definitely be one route to take with my family, however I don't' live in a dictatorship. Every family member needs to make his or her own choice. I think that to stick to this new lifestyle one must make the decision for themselves and for their own reasons. No one likes to be told what to do and, undoubtedly, if I make this decision for them, it will be meaningless. I am making my choice and perhaps I will be an example for them.
It's been tough explaining to people that I am making this transition from omnivore to vegetarian. Of course, being a vegetarian is not a new idea and all of us know at least one vegetarian in our lives. I don't know why it is so crazy, then, for me to become a vegetarian. Am I too old? I am learning more and more about factory farming and its impact on the environment and our health as consumers of meat and citizens of the world. This is where I start the conversation. What is funny is that a lot of my friends immediately seem to be defensive about eating meat, like somehow I am questioning their choices. Not true! I am educating myself on a global issue that effects each of us on the planet and when questioned about the choice I am making I'm going to share what I know. I am new to this and I have no intention of judging people about their choices. It's like my mental framework has changed because of this new knowledge and I can't 'unknow' it. Now that I know the effects of factory farming I can't continue on the same path. The only thing I can do is make the daily choice to not eat animals and hopefully my family will learn from me and make the change along with me. Until then, I am going to have to be tested by the smell of bacon on weekend mornings and summer barbecues. I love a challenge!
I'll keep you posted.
Well, no one said it was going to be easy.
Time is Subjective
11 years ago
