This morning I watched a video of a
seasoned vet with a different perspective on going Vegan, due to
having witnessed and possibly participated in violence as a career.
Now, I'm not the military type. Never have been. Never will be. But
for some reason, this gentleman really got through to the core of me
with his purpose for going Vegan.
He said, although not in these exact
words, that he was sick of death, blood and violence. That he was
searching instead for life and rejecting death. And that for him,
that sense of inner peace now starts on his plate. He feels better
knowing that he is projecting peace with his diet. In other words, it
gives him a base of operations for how he lives his life.
You might think it crazy that as a
peace sign throwing hippie child, I would find common ground with a
former soldier. And that, after so many years struggling to overcome
the cheese addiction that was blocking my being altogether vegan,
this vet made me feel something that just might be the catalyst for
me to “go all the way”
Now, my Vegan friends, don't get all up
in arms here. Please. The amount of cheese I consume is minuscule at
best. But I do cave occasionally. I've always admitted that I'm not a
perfect Vegan. However, the point is that after hearing this
gentleman speak of his rejection of death, blood and violence, I
truly feel that I'm ready to make that full Vegan transition now.
Which is a good thing, so don't bring
me down now, of all times, please.
And you know as well as I do what I'm
talking about. There are a lot of angry Vegans out there. And maybe
their anger is justified. Certainly it is. They are angry over the
death and suffering of other animals at the hands of omnivores,
whether directly or indirectly. They tend to be brutally intolerant
of those who are not Vegan because of this. Particularly those like
myself who should know better.
Their anger is not inspiring to me. But
this man, this former harbinger of death, so to speak, who has
decided that he is fed up with death and is extremely joyful and
happy in his new life as a Vegan, may very well be the catalyst for
my own personal change.
I think it has a lot to do with his
aura. He's completely at peace with his choice. He feels good about
himself for making it. And most of all, he's done with the anger.
He's done with the death. He's not spreading his beliefs in a
forcible manner. He's spreading them in a peaceful manner. And peace
and joy and love, my friends, should be at the core of anyone
professing to be Vegan, shouldn't it?
I mean, isn't that what this is all
about? The rejection of violence? The joy of living life knowing that
your core purpose is to do no harm?
And here is this veteran, telling us
all, from the perspective of someone who has had direct involvement
in the violence of war, that peace begins on our plates. Here is the
most unlikely of people, showing Vegans how to peacefully project
their beliefs.
He doesn't judge. He doesn't preach.
He's not sarcastic or offensive. He doesn't insult others who consume
animal products. He doesn't throw red paint at people. He simply
emits peace, love and joy from every core of his being. He's happy
with his choice and it shows. Now that's something to aspire to and
be inspired by! Vegan for the peace of it. I like it.