A Silent Anniversary

Last Thursday I quietly celebrated an anniversary that’s very meaningful to me.  I’ve been a vegetarian for two years.

I celebrated quietly because I took a 24 hour vow of silence.  I did it for many reasons, but mostly to reflect on my two lives; the life before I gave up meat, and the life after.  I took a day of silence to remember the lives that were taken for me, and to pay respect to them. 

I learned some amazing things by shutting my mouth for 24 hours.  I found out how much is going on in my head, it’s busy up there.  Since I wasn’t able to communicate verbally, I had to use body language.  It’s amazing how much can be said without saying anything.  My son and I connected on a new level.  I was afraid he might feel ignored so I made it a point to pay special attention to him.  My husband and I also connected in a new way.  I quietly listened to him, we watched movies and cuddled.   It was a very specail day.  I’d like to do it again because  I feel I have more to learn.

I’m not going to talk about why I have given up meat.  There are so many reasons, and to me, they are really good reasons.  I am going to say that I have never felt better.  Both emotionally and physically.  Since going meatelss, I’ve had a healthy full-term pregnancy, exclusively breastfed my baby for 6 months, and now continue to breastfeed with the supplementation of solid foods.  Even will all these changes to my body, I can honestly say I have never been healthier in my life.

Following my moral compass has brought me so much happiness and meaning to my life.