How do I write about my vegan conversion in less than 600 words?
Growing up, my mother always made sure her children ate well. Fruits and vegetables were readily available at all times, and soda was never allowed in the house. In addition to these healthy provisions, my mother also made a conscious effort to raise her children to be as faithful is she in the Catholic Church. Needless to say, she succeeded and has three beautiful, healthy, and faithful children.
Within our family and in the Church, the liturgical season of Lent has always been one of the most important aspects to our way of life. When I was a child, I used to give up things like soda, chocolate, maybe television if I was feeling really ambitious without realizing why I was doing these things. As I grew, I started to learn and understand why sacrifice is so important to my faith and that is when I started to give up things like hot showers or coffee (I am a barista) in order to make a genuine sacrifice to God.
The first Lent I spent away from my family was in 2009. I was attending Columbia College, an art school in the South Loop of Chicago, and surprisingly found the transition from a quiet suburb in Nebraska to a busy downtown city surprisingly smooth. When winter rolled around and Lent was approaching, I decided that I wanted to make a sacrifice unlike the others I had made in the past. Instead of giving up one thing, I gave up half of the food pyramid and made the choice to go vegan.
Prior to this decision, I had done a little research about vegan dieting, but none of these reasons seemed plausible enough for me to make a lifetime change, which is why I thought veganism would be perfect to test drive for forty days. And if I hated it, I could stop after Lent without feeling like I failed because my motivations behind the change in my diet were strictly religious and for the time being, temporary. My mother approved of my Lenten promise and even mailed me B-12 vitamins to show her support.
While embarking on the first forty days of my new diet, a vegan friend of mine suggested I watch the documentary Earthlings. About half way through the film, something clicked in my brain. I realized that as a Catholic, I am called to have a social responsibility to support industries that treat their employees well, produce honest products, and are environmentally sustainable. After the film ended, I knew my decision to support veganism was no longer temporary.
I dreaded calling my mother because as supportive as she was of my decision, she knew it was supposed to be short lived. Our conversation was brief and ended with frustration on both ends. It has taken her a while to accept my decision as well as the rest of my family, but every time I visit home, I find that they are a little more lax about my decision as time progresses. In fact, last time I visited, my mother took me to Whole Foods right after I landed so she could buy me vegan groceries.
When I made the decision to be a vegan, I had no idea how rewarding it would be. Although I am one person, I get fulfillment knowing that I am supporting a sustainable food culture through participating in Community Supported Agriculture and buying non-processed foods. In addition to these things, I hope to be an example of social responsibility to the Catholic community and inspire them to do the same.
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