“I am vegan now”: Stories from our readers, part 4

Ray, 30

All the time I thought that it was wrong to exploit animals, but it was impossible not to eat them. The Internet, information, examples opened my eyes. I decided to spend a year without meat, felt better, both morally and physically, and here I go on.

At first I had a dream about ham, I dreamt about eating chicken leg, sometimes I woke up in horror, I felt the real taste of different non-vegan dishes, which I used to prefer, but everything has passed and there is no desire to return to the old way of life.

Helen, 41

My way to veganism was long. Although in my heart I was a vegan from birth.

The influence of society was strong and violent. I could never eat meat. It was for ethical reasons. All my childhood I was forced to eat it. I understood that animals were killed. And only when I became an adult, from the first meal prepared, the animals disappeared from my plate.

I knew nothing about dairy and egg industry and thought it was too difficult to remove milk and eggs completely from the diet. So, before my daughter was born, i was a vegetarian.

With the arrival of the child, birds returned to the kitchen. The baby is just vitally important to eat meat, society inspires. Bird has given confidence that I am a good mother. Well once it is necessary. I was afraid of conversations with my children on this subject. I had a constant struggle inside. Teaching children to be kind and feeding them meat.

Children have grown up. 3 years ago, animal protectors came to my daughter’s school and gave a lecture about how animals get on the table. She spoke with horror about the dairy and egg industries. About how a cow is separated from its mother and child, about how 15000 chickens are grinded alive every day. It was a shock.

On September 20, 2014, an animal protection procession was held in Tel Aviv. We – me (41), my daughter (16) and my son (8) went together. There opened a full picture of the horror that is happening. There I started to think not only about food, but also about zoos, circuses, leather and fur, etc. I was overwhelmed with emotions. Tears rolled from the beginning to the end of the procession from the paintings that were in front of me and all the information.

We came home as vegans. A huge load of guilt fell off my shoulders. I no longer had to deceive myself and my children. I understood that I would never do it again! I will never be involved in it.

Six months later I became an activist of the Front for the Liberation of Animals. And I will devote the rest of my life to saving and protecting those who can’t defend themselves. To the last heartbeat.

Сlare, 29

I switched to veganism five months after the birth of my daughter – as if an inner voice said: “It’s time. Ironically, my meat-eating husband sent me a lecture, after which I had no doubts.

In my childhood and youth, I was an avid meat-eater. Then I started thinking about spiritual topics and tried to become a vegetarian. But my intention at that time was not quite conscious, and I quickly gave up under the influence of my relatives.

When I became a mother, I started to feel other people’s pain more acutely. And the aspiration to healthy lifestyle helped.

My daughter is now 1 year and 2 months old, she eats only dairy products from the animal (probably, it is possible without them, but the relatives are very busy). I hope that someday she will become a vegan. I will bring up in it a love for everything living.

Ben, 48

My story is very long, but there is nothing to tell. The search for the meaning of life, which tormented me from an early age, resulted in vegetarianism first, and after more than 20 years (!) to veganism. That’s why, unfortunately, it took so long to figure out what dairy products really are. Only the Internet helped to finally wake up.