I’m always in turmoil and arguing between myself with my heart and mind on how vegetarian am I? I have these battles and conflicts on what constitutes me to be a real vegetarian. Am I doing well? Is it ok? If I talked to others about being vegetarian and vegan would they blame me? I think I’m tough on myself because I always need to be better. Three things came up in past few months that had me thinking about it again. Still eating meat on occasion with family. Another post I saw on Instagram asking How much percentage vegan are you? And reading an article online about what truly makes you a vegetarian or vegan (more on why this is an issue)?
Its really just coming to terms on what my reality is and what I can do. Making my mind and efforts meet the actions I do day to day. One word of advice and not to back track is don’t slip. You won’t be taken seriously and it takes away from the goal. I think you can take any beliefs or lifestyles of a person and if they don’t do it 100%, then how valid is it? If you are willing to bend here, then where else are you willing to bend? I honestly don’t blame people for thinking so, I honestly blame myself for not sticking it to all the way through. But in circumstances like my in laws or strangers who offer me food with meat and I don’t refuse, its just my reality. As much as my passion and love for the moral issue, a lot of other stuff is at play then I anticipated. I have tried to come to terms with it. Its a on and off switch to eating meat. I forget it. Its almost primal instinct to just think to eat is to survive and it oks for these instances. I pray and give thanks to the animals and move on. I know it will anger and piss off most who might read of this, but its my reality and my life. There are many other issues where others must face for morality and poses a challenge. But this is a long haul, I hope to stick with it.
I forgot what Instagram page asking how much percentage vegan am I. But in the end, the message was better than nothing. Whether 10% of time or 90% time being vegan, its saving some animals rather than none. Its stopping giving money to the corporate ags that make profit off the slaughtering of animals. And even though my wife have always given me that message, its good to hear it elsewhere too. It helps me me cope with my reality. That being 100% is the goal but its still OK if not. We are all moving together to shift society views little by little. All of these things culminate to show a growing movement and makes me feel my efforts are not in vain. Because when I make mistakes, it doesn’t stop giving momentum.
Another simple thought is what makes a true vegan or vegetarian. That you don’t eat meat to save an animal but the pesticides used to protect your plants kills hundreds of bugs. In an effort to save one, you killed hundreds of others. Is that OK? I think questions always come up to challenge our beliefs. But I think its good. It makes us strive to be better. Its like a science or argument in court. You make your case better. You get facts to better solidify your conclusion. Its hard to think a good effort for the most just cause is in fact counter productive. The article even stated about how one noticed the bugs and life being uprooted and killed just to till the land to plant the vegetables. In the simpliest of actions for our well being to grow food, we can still cause so much destruction. But I make my argument that we try to do our best. We try to take account for all things to cause the least affect on life. That a farmer or someone might notice how we till can kill and change the practice to minimize it.
Another main point is, these bugs and worms living in the ground and affected by our plant eating ways is more natural. These life forms get a chance to grow old and life a good life. They aren’t subject to a systemic method of torture and vicious cycle. These chickens, pigs and cows are put in pain from birth to the end. And everything in between is misery. It is a process we implement knowingly and ignore the dark side. Something easily and well within our hands to stop.
I apologize to all lifeforms in all instances of pain and suffering. The choices we humans make are trying for the better. Please forgive us.
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