Becoming Vegan Has Been One of the Best Decisions of My Life

By : Shakira

I was born into a religion that advocates a vegetarian diet, yet my family was not.  I was though brought up to abstain from certain animals and I never cared for seafood- my mother would have me sit at the table for hours to eat fish.  The only explanation I have ever been able to conjure up for not eating seafood is that "The Little Mermaid" movie, which was released when in 1989 when I was four years old, made a deep impact on me.  I became a vegetarian during my sixth grade school year and then gave into meat again.  Later in my years I contemplated adopting my religion's vegetarian life-style but never went through.  Last year (on November 13) I watched a documentary "Life in a Day", and as I saw a scene of cow trapped in a narrow metal enclosed space being shot twice in the head and having it's throat sliced, I knew I wanted no part in consuming an animal that suffered so inhumanly simply for my insignificant pleasure!  Shamefully I admit to continuing to eat eggs and dairy because I foolishly thought neither hens, eggs, or cows suffered since their life was not taken.

In January of this year I met  a vegan who shared my religious beliefs, he recommended I watch "Forks Over Knives".  Instantly deciding to save and prioritize my health by becoming a vegan I read through each ingredient list of all my foods and rid myself of them.  About two weeks later in February I watched the documentary "Earthlings", I cried a river of tears and became filled with guilt that for 26 years I had been a meat eater and animal by-product consumer.  Since that day in February, I have become a person who lectures everyone and anyone about animal welfare, given up all forms of animal attraction, and changed all products (make-up, hygiene, etc.), which may be animal derived, animal tested, and simply not natural.  I continue to educate myself in nutrition and expand my cooking skills.  I have two adopted dogs and feed them vegetarian dog food and snacks.  The best way to express how I feel about being vegan is: I wish I would have been born vegan and for the rest of my life I happily will be.

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.