Vegetarians do not need to justify their story
People have asked me why do I not take meat? ⠀⠀
I am almost 80% vegetarian apart from the occasional seafood that I take, & very little chicken. Apart from that, I am against all forms of other meat. ⠀⠀
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Why?⠀⠀
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I never quite have a straight-forward answer to this question. It isn’t something that I practised or for religious sake. five years ago when I tried to go 100% vegetarian, I recall that I struggled to stick with the diet, and would crave for meat. Somehow in recent years, it became a very natural choice for me. Without stress or self-judgements that we often impose on ourselves when starting a new habit, the idea to eat less meat came naturally for me. So when someone asked me why don’t I take meat, I can’t articulate why. ⠀⠀
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Recently when I had a beautiful opportunity to brunch outdoor in a farm, I suddenly felt the core reason of why I choose not to eat meat. I realised that whenever I looked into the eyes of a sentient being, especially one that is of warm-blooded, I am finding it more difficult now to consume meat. Looking into the eyes of animals (sheep, cows, dogs, pigs, cats, horses..etc. whichever you name it), I felt a sense of connection with them. These creatures looked pure and innocent to me. I saw no motives or any forms of ill intentions, and for me, I have no heart to eat food that comes from the flesh of these lovely creatures. It is just not for me anymore. ⠀⠀
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I know saying this can open up debates from meat lovers. My intention here is not to put down your love for meat. If you like it, good for you. Do not justify to anyone your diet, just like I don’t feel the need to assert my point on why I don’t take meat. Most of the time, my casual response is like “I don’t like the taste of meat.” Which now I come to realise, is only partly true and that is ok. I am blessed with friends who respect my choices, and I know some of you take lengths to make sure I get food that doesn’t contain meat. I appreciate your gesture and thank you for thinking for me. I guess this is what it means to live in harmony. Without judgements or proving who’s right, just respecting that we all have a different philosophy of life.
