There are things in life considered basic human necessity, it might seem little or insignificant but the moment we find ourselves living without it, it suddenly feels like we are missing a limb. Example of such necessities is meat, for some people, not eating meat has become a personal decision they have made for themselves, Since the decision is something made by them - not for them, they wouldn't feel deprived of a basic life necessity.
The human mind is not something easy to mess with or fool, as humans, there are things we grew up knowing and for most homes, meat is just one of those things that seems to add flavour to the meal, growing up in such a way, having meat when necessary becomes an habit.
So lets say I was banned from eating meat, would I be able to cope? I Don't think so. I mean i need to confirm the nature of my crime because it seems cruel. For those who haven't found themselves starving of meat would never understand how it feels to not have access to something you crave.
I usually tell people that, during my NYSC I experienced things that is abnormal but people might think I'm exaggerating, this is just one of those things I was forced to endure. In the village I was posted, they are not really a fan of meat and there is limited meat vendor. There are times we have to wait for about three months before we could get meat.
At first I didn't seem to see anything wrong with, I could easily just survive on other meals but I started feeling something I couldn't not explain. My taste buds suddenly started acting out and any time I consumed a meal, it was tasteless. Every other meal started feeling like I had eaten too much of it, I knew I needed something but I couldn't just find myself to admit what it was, so I started suffering in silence.
I didn't really fall sick because of this, I was healthy but yet I felt like I wasn't. The first time I had this feeling, I didn't know what it was but when I was opportune to get meat after a couple of mouth, I regained whatever was lost in me and when I started having this feeling again, I knew what it was. I was hungry but I was starving because every muscle in my body just felt weak like a vampire being starved of blood.
It was a serious mental battle I had to endure, the people in this community are used to this way of life because they had something to substitute for meat, it was called beske, it is made of soya beans. The first time I tasted this thing, it was as if I was eating beans cake, it tasted nothing compared to meat, I could barely swallow it but these people are used to it, so it was never a big deal.
That moment I realised something, it is always easy for our body and minds to cultivate an habit even if we are not aware of it, for a person who has been eating meat throughout his/her life, if such a person should get banned from eating meat, believe me, if it doesn't drive the person crazy, it will take a while for the person to get used to it, to make matters worst, having to experience others eat what you have been banned from eating is just torture.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled No more meat in hive learners community.*
Cover image - 𝖣𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗏𝖺
