What do humanitarians eat?

You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit.  

If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I'll buy you a new car.  

~Harvey Diamond~

Once I made the decision to become vegetarian, and ultimately vegan within the month, I felt a huge weight lift off myself.  As if the burden of being a meat-eater was crushing me.  I have chosen vegetarianism and veganism several times in my past, always reverting to meat because all of my acquaintances do, therefore I should as well.  Or so I lead myself to believe.  I would cite the flavor of meat, cheese and honey and the ease of obtaining those food items as misguided "reasons" to continue.  Never did I realize how much I was a follower until the last couple weeks.  

It felt like a hefty weight to be the only vegetarian I knew and thus to stick to it was constantly trying.  My friends and family, though love me and meant in jest, would poke fun or make comments about my being vegetarian/vegan.  My children would complain because they wanted meat and, though I do not "deprive" them of flesh when we were out as I afford them that choice, when we're home I purchase the food and my money will not be spent on dead animals to nosh on.  It all got to be too much for me to handle with other pressures life was throwing at me.  And off the veggie wagon I fell; over and over.  

Finally, last week, I mentally chained myself to vegetarianism to crawl my way up to veganism.  That's it.  Like Anthony Robbins said, "A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided."  Perfectly said.  I decided.  I acted.  Now to continue on that path.  Today's decision to stop eating meat will not be it for the rest of my life; I need to continue to make that decision every day.  Just like I need to continue to make the decision to go to work, make dinner, drive a car, etc.  It's a normal decision that I will eventually make subconsciously, but for the moment I have to think about it.  Decide and act.  Repeat.

Today I had to purchase my food in the cafeteria at work.  Not many options for vegans, but at least there are a few.  Salad, no dressing (many Italian dressings have cheese in them and most others I like are creamy) or a vegan burger.  I chose the vegan burger.  Quite yummy and what my belly was craving.  Though, to be certain, I will request to find out the ingredients of the vegan burger they serve to know what I am putting in my body.

This decision has finally freed my mind to continue helping animals in many different ways.  Foremost, I plan to visit Farm Sanctuary with Geoff and the boys at least twice this year (once for Thanksgiving) and hopefully I will have the opportunity to volunteer there as well.  It's a wonderful and happy place, if you're unfamiliar with it.  And, because I believe in their cause so much, I also plan to request that all gifts for my birthday and Christmas will be in the form of donations to FS (along with maybe one or two other organizations I need to look into first before stating them).  Thus, not only am I helping the animals by choosing not to eat them, I'm also helping them by asking others to help as well.  

My evolution begins...  The pains I've caused from many yesterdays will finally be replaced by innumerable days of peace.