Friday quote and some thoughts

And a vegetarian joke - sorta. "Vegetarian - a Sioux word for 'too dumb to hunt'

:P

I think some people give up on being vegetarian because they have unreal expectations of themselves, or other people do. There is a real "holier than thou" sort of thing that some vegans get into. I mean, if you really want to go off the deep end of never harming any living thing you have to be fruitarian - eating only fruit and nuts that have fallen from the parent tree. And if you think about it - that's abortion. If you didn't eat that apple or almond, it could have grown into a tree.

I say I am vegetarian, because most people's eyes roll back in their head if I say "ovo-lacto vegetarian" - which is more correct. Yes, I still eat eggs and I still eat cheese and use a bit of milk.

No one is perfect, and none of us is any better than any other. There is always something that someone can find fault with.

What we need to do is accept ourselves, accept others. Decide for ourselves what we can live with as a diet, and let others make their own decisions as well. There is no better or worse. Some people will not thrive on a vegetarian diet - others (like myself) don't thrive on a high protein diet full of animal products.

Living ethically is difficult at times. Living mindfully, thinking about our impact on the earth and on the others around us. But I do believe we have to do so. We cannot change the world, unless we first change ourselves.

Don't let someone else decide what is right for you. You decide. Yes, I eat eggs and dairy. But the eggs I eat are from my own hens, and trust me, they are loved, spoiled and happy. And you can really see and taste the difference in the eggs, too.

I would like to try breeding my goats to have goat milk and cheese, but at the moment our home situation is too shaky to risk adding any animals that I may have to place later. Maybe next year. So for now, I limit just how much dairy I eat - which is better for me anyway.

Those are my decisions. Yours may be different, based on different considerations. Only you can decide what is most important for you - and your body will also dictate what is most healthy for you.

Give yourself credit for every little thing. Buying free range eggs at the store. Having one meatless meal a week. Having a nice fresh fruit for breakfast instead of a sticky, sugary processed pastry.

Don't punish yourself. It is counterproductive. Don't accept anyone elses judgement of you.

Don't worry - be happy!

Which reminds me to share this article on the incredible power of contentment.

Go forth and smile!