People, over the course of their lives, make a lot of life changing decisions. Whether it’s which college to attend or which job they should apply for, everyone makes choices that affect them. Mine, some would say, was a rather drastic change. It’s not everyday that someone wakes up and decides they’ll spare their animal friends. That was, however, the way it worked for me.
I did some research for a little while, and tried to decide if a vegetarian lifestyle would even work for me. It would mean daily sacrifice, from the type of shoestrings (my favorite shoes have strings made of leather) I wore, to turning down dinner dates to Rib Crib. My choice influences every aspect of my life now.
There is a reason for every choice people make, and when people ask me why I did this to myself or how I can live like this, I just tell them that I wouldn’t have it any other way. And that’s a fact; I couldn’t eat meat again, even if I tried.
Another question I get all of the time is, “Well, if you don’t eat meat, how do you get your protein?”
Being vegetarian, or choosing a healthy lifestyle in general, is all about substitutions. When going to a restaurant that offers chicken in salads, it’s not a difficult refusal. Protein doesn’t only hide in meat; it’s in other things. A substitution for meat that I am quite fond of is beans. Beans have never been my favorite food, but when they become your main protein intake, they begin to taste better.
One question that I have a hard time answering is, “Why do you do this? Animals live to be eaten.”
I always have difficulty pushing my argument with that question because they are absolutely right. Animals roam this earth to be eaten. But to me, it’s not even eating the meat or the animal that bothers me. It’s the cruelty of the kill. Companies, fast food places, chicken farms, they all slaughter their animals or receive the products of insensitive killings.
If a farmer were to raise a cow, take good care of it, feed it, nurture it, and eventually kill it for either money or consumption, that would be reasonable. But when animals face harsh treating and an even harsher death, that’s where I draw the line. Companies like Tyson insensitively handle their chickens and sever their heads, and that’s not okay with me.
Becoming vegetarian has made me healthier in the long run, and giving up the taste of chicken and tacos and everyday school lunches has been worth it to me. Not only has it made me feel better physically, but I feel better internally. I don’t get sick nearly as often as I used to, I’ve lost weight, and I can be more active for longer amounts of time. Overall, I’m glad I made this change, and I plan to carry on with it for the rest of my life.
Source of picture: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=15055&picture=woman-wearing-vegetable
