Imagine Being Vegan(ish) And Loving Every
Minute Of It
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge in Pittsboro, North Carolina. They are an organization that rescues animals who have managed to escape from meat and dairy farms. I learned so much about the personalities, intelligence and capacity for bonding that farm animals have when they are left to live happy and stress-free lives. Apparently, turkeys are big show-offs and flirts, goats give wet kisses, and chickens can be lulled to sleep by petting their cheeks. The hypocrisy of a culture that spoils cats and dogs while torturing and killing these animals by the masses really stood out after this experience.
My mom, dad, and brother are all vegans now, but I’ve been 
the slowest and most resistant to fully make the change. I grew up vegetarian, so I had a head start. Then I tried to buy only “free range” and “ethically raised” dairy products, but eventually learned there’s not much that’s ethical or free about the way these animals are raised either. A few months ago my brother inspired me to give up all dairy products, but I still haven’t been able to let go of eating eggs.
Gabe has dedicated a huge piece of his life to advocating for veganism and animal rights. It doesn’t sound like fun work. He makes a lot of people uncomfortable, angry and even willing to throw bread at his face. I hate making people uncomfortable and angry. I definitely don’t want any bread in my face. I don’t even like posting on Facebook. But I’m in school for social work because I want to be a part of fighting injustices in the world. There are so many causes to choose from, and while I’ve never considered this my cause before now, it’s definitely an important one.
Inspired by my brother’s courage I decided to share my opinion to encourage anyone interested in the subject to learn more. Not everyone can completely give 
up meat and dairy, but anyone can look into how these industries treat animals and the environmental effects they cause, and then make an informed and thoughtful decision. If you care about animals and the environment, being vegan (or maybe vegan-ish) feels really good – and we can share tons of recipes.
