Dear Friends,
I am proud to share that I am going vegetarian. That might seem like an odd thing to be proud of, but to me it feels like something to celebrate. To be able to face up to the disconnect between my values and my actions, and to initiate a change in those actions, feels pretty empowering.
I have known for many years that a vegetarian diet would be better aligned with my values. But I was so clinging to my attachment to meat and I didn’t think I could cope without the comfort of my favorite foods. I am amazed at how strong that attachment was. I remember I once told Tara, “I wish I could be vegetarian, but I like meat too much.”
Here is the thing: I am otherwise a person of integrity. I am staunch in my values and pride myself in living and expressing those values. I am striving to do my part to create a world that respects the rights of the most vulnerable and stops prioritizing convenience over doing the right thing.
So avoiding the truth that my dietary choices were complicit in harm to animals and the environment was an act of hypocrisy.
I am so inspired by Tara’s recent decision to go vegan. She has been vegetarian for nineteen years, and I have seen how she has thrived and been healthy and strong without meat or seafood. She never tried to convert me, but I was so impressed by her example. So I decided several weeks ago to try being vegetarian at home.
Well, that was so easy! Our mom is a fantastic cook, and she made so much protein-rich vegetarian food, so it has been an enjoyable trial. So I am now trying to be vegetarian all of the time. This is mostly challenging because my automatic responses and habits around food are so strong. If I see “burger” on a menu, for example, my mind fixates on it. I am trying little by little to retrain those responses. I have had several successes in redirecting myself to vegetarian options in restaurants.
Tara encouraged me to not feel guilty or frustrated with this challenge. It doesn’t have to happen all at once. That reminder has helped me.
This is not to judge or pressure you over your own dietary choices. We are all on our own path for that. I just want to share how important it is to me that I can make and implement my own decisions to live according to my values. It feels so fulfilling.
Is there an example from your life of being able to shape it to better align with your values?
Your Friend,
Danny
