“Beef.” I don’t miss it. Not one bit. I don’t miss pork either. I stopped eating those things in my early twenties. Maybe I was twenty. If so, I’m coming up on being beef and pork free for 40 years!
I’m not comfortable with today’s stream of consciousness post being “beef.” It does give me an opportunity to share, to encourage, movement toward vegetarianism. But I don’t want people to think I’m being judgmental. I don’t want to force my eating habits on anyone, anymore than I want to force my religious beliefs. But they are mine, and this is my blog, and this is my stream of consciousness post on “beef.”
I have to be honest. I’m not a perfect vegetarian. I still eat fish. Not often, but sometimes I get tired of nuts as my main protein source. I’ve gotten way better at abstaining from chicken. And during lent, I am able to be a strict vegetarian, moving toward being vegan on some days. In case you don’t know, a vegan is someone who does not consume any animal products at all. No eggs, no cheese, no leather goods. I know that it’s quite possible to do. But I haven’t gotten there yet on a consistent basis.
The chicken was a challenge for years, especially barbecued chicken, when the sauce gets a little burnt….okay lets step away from that. It’s also a challenge when there’s a really good casserole with just a little chicken in it. Guess I might need to refresh my memory with some videos about what happens to chickens on factory farms, especially the little baby boy chicks discarded in heaps, like pieces of trash and not living things. But I don’t have to watch the videos. I have a good imagination. I can remember.
Here’s a link that seems to just have photos and words, a little easier than the videos:
If you’re on the fence, the videos help. But they are hard to watch. Interestingly, I never had that much trouble not eating cows and pigs. Because lets be honest, beef comes from cows, and pork comes from pigs.
It all started in the late 70’s, in college, when I read an article by a hunter who wrote that anyone who opposes hunting and eats meat is a hypocrite. I thought about it. And then quit. I am aware that animals hunted and killed quickly after living a natural life have it much better than animals on factory farms. But most of us have enough other options available to us, that neither is necessary.
I’m thankful that there will be plenty of alternatives to turkey this Thanksgiving. Like pumpkin pie. Mmmmm!
Today’s Stream of Consciousness post prompt was the word, “beef.”
If you’d like to jump into the stream, start here:
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
It’s about halfway through the 40 days of lent. As in years past, I’ve been cleaning up my vegetarian plate for lent. I’m not vegan, though I do have vegan days. I thought I was having one last week until I remembered there was butter and parmesan cheese on that garlic bread. No body’s perfect.
I stopped eating meat in the late 70’s. Here’s how it happened. Since then, it’s been easy for me to abstain from eating mammals. It’s been harder to give up eating fish and chicken, except during the season of lent. During lent, I’m a strict true vegetarian.
A couple weeks ago, one of the regularly visiting priests ministering to my little Episcopal church told me that Sundays don’t count in lent.
What?
He said there were more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter and that’s how Sundays get to be free days, though I think he said, “feast days.”
I counted the days on the calendar, and sure enough, there are 46 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter!
Why did I not know this? Or did I hear it and just not pay attention?
Going 40 days in a row, (now 46) straight through to Easter as a true vegetarian works for me. It brings me closer to my goal to not contribute to the horrors of factory farming, because after lent, I eat way less chicken. It’s just possible that I’m done with chicken for good.
(Fish is another matter. I’m not going there yet.)
What I’ve learned about myself, and I think this applies to most people with addictive personalities, is that it’s easier for me to abstain all together, than to indulge occasionally. I learned this the hard way with cigarettes. And even though I’m not an alcoholic, it’s easier for me to abstain than to drink alcohol occasionally. I can’t say I’ll never drink again. Maybe I’ll have a glass of wine on my 80th birthday. For now, I’m comfortable staying sober. But for some people, once it too many and a thousand’s never enough. For some people, like alcoholics, it’s not worth the risk.
I quit drinking twenty something years ago, when I got serious about recovery from compulsive overeating and stopped consuming empty calories. I stopped eating refined sugar for about a year. At that time, total abstinence from sweets was easier than moderation. Now I indulge in sweets occasionally, especially dark chocolate, but I know it’s a slippery slope, and I need to be mindful.
For lent, I’m sticking to my tradition of being a true vegetarian, including Sundays, all the way ’til Easter. I hope this will help me really be done with eating chicken. And I’m not going fishing for seafood. There are plenty of other options lower on the food chain.
Like dark chocolate.
We all have our own values and goals. Some are easier than others. Some we struggle with. What helps you be consistent? Or are you fine with the occasional indulgence?
Anything is Possible! 