My choice, today

My 10 year old nephew asked me a few days ago: And why are you a vegetarian? Don't like the taste of meat? He is not only generally curious, but also very interested in experimenting it himself. Although I think it is mostly because vegetarian options -for the most part- taste so darn good, as his excuse for eating meat is: well, you know, if it is already dead... it would just be a waste!

To be honest, I haven't completely made up one straight answer for my reason to cut meat out of my menu. Normally my answers vary depending on who is asking. But the fact that I couldn't give him a very convincing answer has been hammering my head these days. This is the third time in my life that I've given vegetarianism a go. The first time I had no choice, as it was imposed by my father. The second time was purely out of my love for animals and the cruelty that is involved in the meat industry. Today, I have many reasons that complement each other.

I have been following -on an off, unfortunately- a more conscious path of self-discovery, physically and spiritually. This path has lead me to the understanding of the functions of my body as a whole, and of my digestive system as a part of it, not just a separate automated entity. It has also open the door to the magnificent world of nourishment, the knowledge of the properties of everything we call food. It simply makes more sense now to work together with my inner machinery by fueling it properly and routinely, rather than just allowing it to go on auto-pilot, checking back only when something seems to go wrong. Now, what is "proper"? How to know what the body needs? Well, in my case case it's been 1) research: investigating my options 2) experimenting: I am my own lab and 3) concluding: by making a habit of what feels right. So, my research and experiments -in the end, a very simple pro et contra strainer- leave me with one clear option.  

I am a vegetarian today because MY reality is: I don't NEED meat -or animal products for that matter- to survive. I'm lucky enough to be able to have a choice, and I don't have to fight for my survival. That's an incredible advantage. Plants are pretty impressive, you know? they make their own food out of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. I choose to nourish form these powerful beings and live alongside other animals at peace, regardless of how good they taste. I stand on top of the food chain by default, but that precisely gives me the possibility to decide where I take my aliment from. In my mind and understanding, the closer to the source of riches, the better and eating plants and their derivates is the closest I can get to eating actual sunlight. 

Unclench and let.it.be

I believe that if we can comprehend and accept the changing nature of things we would be more at peace with ourselves and ergo everything/everybody that surrounds us will work better in harmony for our own benefit. Especially that which shakes a negative reaction out of us. Because it is mostly when things don't fit in our way of perceiving what is presented to us in form of daily life situations and people, that we get mad or sad and tend to do or say senseless things. 

If we were to welcome change as the only true constant in our lives, we would suffer less. Because we then know that whatever happens, happens because there is no other way it can, should, would be. It just is. BAM, your mind is free-er. 

I have never been a routine lover, au contraire, I've fought it fiercely. Call it aging or whatever, but I enjoy my few routines these days. I suffer from some levels of OCD -as most of us do, I like to believe- which goes horribly together with routines. Because! I tend to obsess when I break them and end up screwing up even more because I beat myself up about being dumb enough to break them in the first place. "I'm just good for nothing... Why even try?..." I guess most people can to some level relate to this vicious circle. 

I am very good at observing what needs to be done or where I've gone wrong, but very bad at doing something about it. And if something has helped me take the first step ahead after each breakdown, each mistake, each mess-up, each mood, each state of mind, it is to finally accept that I have no power over this, it is simply not the same now and today as it was before and always, unclench and let it go. Once you've let go, you can see it all from a more objective perspective, making it easier to work with.