Going Vegetarian
On Sunday, the family & I decided to meet up over a dim sum (the food, not the cat) lunch. Halfway through lunch, I was questioned by my 6 year old niece if I'm just a cat lover or an animal lover (as I've lecturered her many times to love & respect all animals). She explained that if I love animals, how can I possibly eat dim sum (where 95% of the food items are meat-based)? But if I'm just a cat lover, then its ok because I just don't eat cats!
Makes sense. I have been a hypocrite. Here I am, high & mighty, preaching about love & respect for the same animals I ate. That siew mai, which just a second ago was mouth-watering but now just looks nauseating on my plate.
My sis-in-law, who is ever practical, asked "can you wait until end of lunch to become vegetarian or not? I ordered all the food already!" *Sigh*
Later on, I met up with a couple of good friends & somehow the conversation turned to the subject on how chicken farms rear chickens for eggs & slaughter. The methods used are cruel & inhumane. But that conversation strengthened my resolution to become a vegetarian.
My mother called me last night, just to check if I'm still a vegetarian. Yes mom, 24 hours later, I AM still a vegetarian.
People (my mom included) have the misconception that going vegetarian means eating only vegetables & chinese vegetarian bee hoon stuff. This can't be further from the truth. Vegetarians sustain not just on vegetables but on cereals, grains, pulses, seeds, nuts, fruits, dairy & soy products.
I know the switch from a meat-based diet to the meat-free diet is not going to be easy. That's where I believe the support and understanding of family and friends comes into play. I do appreciate my mom making a special effort to call to find out I will eat now & what I won't eat.
I don't expect neither do I want the people around me to tiptoe or plan their meals around me but a little understanding always helps. It is little gestures like that that will keep me going as a novice vegetarian.
:)
Makes sense. I have been a hypocrite. Here I am, high & mighty, preaching about love & respect for the same animals I ate. That siew mai, which just a second ago was mouth-watering but now just looks nauseating on my plate.
My sis-in-law, who is ever practical, asked "can you wait until end of lunch to become vegetarian or not? I ordered all the food already!" *Sigh*
Later on, I met up with a couple of good friends & somehow the conversation turned to the subject on how chicken farms rear chickens for eggs & slaughter. The methods used are cruel & inhumane. But that conversation strengthened my resolution to become a vegetarian.
My mother called me last night, just to check if I'm still a vegetarian. Yes mom, 24 hours later, I AM still a vegetarian.
People (my mom included) have the misconception that going vegetarian means eating only vegetables & chinese vegetarian bee hoon stuff. This can't be further from the truth. Vegetarians sustain not just on vegetables but on cereals, grains, pulses, seeds, nuts, fruits, dairy & soy products.
I know the switch from a meat-based diet to the meat-free diet is not going to be easy. That's where I believe the support and understanding of family and friends comes into play. I do appreciate my mom making a special effort to call to find out I will eat now & what I won't eat.
I don't expect neither do I want the people around me to tiptoe or plan their meals around me but a little understanding always helps. It is little gestures like that that will keep me going as a novice vegetarian.
:)
posted by Cat at 1:17 PM
8 Comments:
I'm rooting for you, if that helps. =)
Good on ya chaos! Keep it up!
I myself am not vegetarian, but I definitely can understand where you are coming from. Good luck with your decision!
-Marina, Zeus' human pet
Hey, you are not alone :) I am trying to abstain from meat too. It wasn't easy making an immediate switch to a meat-free diet, there are times when I actually "crave" for meat ... But when I succumb to the desire and "indulge" in the occasional meaty diet, I actually find the meat distasteful ...
Good for you! :) But it won't be easy. I know. Not that I've tried it myself... but I've seen The Flyer compromise so many times for so many reasons. So it's great you have your family's full support!
~5-Cat Style
Welcome to the vegetarian "club". I gave up meat after watching Bridget Bardot's documentaries in 1984 during the gulf war period. I don't see "pork" "beef" "mutton" but flesh from an animal that had as much feelings as my animal companions and also probably as much as my own. As a human, we have the faculty to contemplate on our actions beyond just instinctive. It's like watching the "natural" cruelty on Animal Planet such as a mother-animal killed by a predator, leaving a bleating baby who was also eventually devoured. As a human being, these scenes arouse in our heart, compassion. And we can act on that compassion by not wilfully causing the sufferings of so many more animals in farms. We cannot never change the whole world into becoming vegetarian, but we can change ourselves.
I'm trying hard to go veg too. I know I can't stop eating meat altogether at once so I started slow. I haven't ate beef for 2 years already. Have cut down on pork at least 70%. Now trying to cut down chicken and fish. Hope to get there soon. You too! = )
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