It’s been 2 years now since I made the commitment to being a vegetarian. Not a mean feat by any means at the present junction in my life. However, I wanted to express some points about the whole thing. Not in anyway as propaganda or influence to convert others, but as a way to tell you simply why and what has happened since.
Most of last year I began joining groups on Facebook regarding animal rights. This led me to see a great deal of images, that basically disturbed me (I want show them here, I think the choice should be individual, but I would urge people to be informed of what is happening). One particular event was seeing “Earthlings”, page here, that even today haunts me, to believe that humans are slipping away from the actual core of that term civilised and turning to a greater monster than the beast they say they control. One striking image I will share, is above. To me it says a great deal about a sickness in human and the fear that is put through animals to, to do little more than entertain us.
There was a point last year I watched a video and it simply made me cry. I have added the link here, and it shows a cow being sent to slaughter, shedding a tear. The depth of what was meant by this was the turning point. I went to lunch that day, and said to my family, that January 1st I will stop eating meat. I didn’t want to participate in that kind of horror. My life as an artist was to bring imagination and light to the public, and the sick darkness that surrounds this industry was a burden on my soul. Too many arguments of wether animals cry, don’t cry, but I don’t care. I am taking my feeling in my soul as a guide and that cow didn’t want to die. So, I am making paths to change my mentality toward it.
So, as many folks make flippant and casual New Year resolutions I thought I would make one, that I would serious hate myself for breaking. It was hard from my initial declaration, to that date to continue, but if I had to be honest, it wasn’t the eating meat that was an issue. it was the sick and evil methods by which that meat is delivered to our plate. I will miss seafood a great deal, but a commitment is a commitment, and so my path was set.
Luckily for me, most of my student days and years after I learnt to cook. I became quite good at it, so the transition from removing dead animal from the recipe list was not such a bland one as one would think. I have done research, found nutritious recipes from sites and make a plan to a weekly program. So far, so good. I have even had my family making comments of how much taster the for is, over what they have been served.
As some years back I saved a rescue animal, and even over the years have taken in and rescued cats and recently a street dog, I have found a greater bond toward animals, that has help me see that these beautiful creatures are not for our pleasure, but equal Earthlings that posses souls, feelings, thoughts and emotions aas much as one of us (if not more so). This has help guide me to my artwork, that features the oddities of animals in human existence, but has made me see their beauty in a different way. Made me learn and understand many a thing that a casual human would not want to know about. This is a greater reason than many to give our fellow Earthlings the respect they deserve.
Now, health wise, the process has uncovered a few points that I had not anticipated on. When I was eating meat, I would have this pressure on my chest. Whether built up tension and stress, or smoothing else, but literally two days after my quest, I have no pressure there now. I feel less stressed and find it easier to get over stressful situations easier. That is a great plus for me. I feel a lot stronger in my legs than I did some months back as well, which I hope is a sign of the change in diet. Overall, the necessary food intake has only help benefit my physical life, and I hope soon, after some more sustained months at the regime, it will help my mind also.
We stand at a changing time in humanity’s future, and we need to make a statement that legislation and education are the only way that will save many of the animals that man deem a commodity. I have a great deal of frustrating arguments about why animals over humans, and really I don’t care of people’s acceptance of my views, but it is this. Firstly, and most important, I have the right of choice. If I want to spend all my energy helping animals, that is my choice. In my book humans have no greater right over any other living Earthling. After all, many have hearts, minds, feeling and for that they think thoughts and feel pain. So if help is available, then I am willing to do so. Secondly, let’s face it. If it came down to a poll; “What would you like to see on Earth in 10 years time; Elephants and rhinos, or scumbag poachers, which would you choose. So, why is there a debate and why are people still ignorant of this change in our planet.
All summed up, this is why I became a vegetarian. No regrets, and looking forward to more. Will eave with Gandhi’s famous quote:
"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
- Mahatma Gandhi
