by Over the next few weeks, I plan on telling the story of how I became vegan. Where I started, and how I got to where I am today. This is the first installment. I hope you enjoy.
15 years ago, I stopped eating meat. Gave it up, cold tofurkey. I had just graduated high school and was spending a week with my older brother. He was in his second year at Ithaca College, and I was hanging out with him in the “big city” of Ithaca. I was ready for personal growth. As kids, we got into a lot of things together. Music, baseball cards, comic books, you name it. When he went off to college, he took his hardcore roots and got into straight edge and veganism. It only made sense that his transformation would also influence me. We talked about it thoroughly, and it all made a lot of sense to me. Something was missing though. And it was, in part, this something else that tipped the scales.
While visiting him, he handed me a copy of Peter Singer’s book, Animal Liberation. This book blew my mind. It opened my eyes and slammed my jaw to the ground. I never knew. Honestly, I just never knew. Growing up in Maine, I saw cows roaming in fields, pigs playing in pens and chickens running around yards. I had never heard or even contemplated the words “factory farming.” It just did not compute. This was the grossest form of torture I had ever heard of, and the end result made a nightly appearance on my plate.
This book and my brother changed my life. One week later, I was vegetarian. 2 months later, I was vegan. That was 15 years ago. My life is better for it. The lives of hundreds of animals are better for it. And that makes me feel good. I implore you to read this book. If you’ve ever considered being vegetarian or going vegan, read this book. If you’re already vegan, read this book. It’ll change how you live no matter where you are in your life’s journey.
I’m from Central New York myself. Ithaca, excellent Liberal town to breed straight-edge and veganism. Also, close-by to Watkins Glen and, more specifically, Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary is a beautiful place, I assume you’ve been?
I have personally never been to farm sanctuary. I would love to visit, and have certainly talked with individuals who have gone or volunteered there. But I never spent much time in the region.