Abbreviated Vegetarian

It is over! I ended my commitment to being a vegetarian 9 months earlier than planned. It has been a sociological adventure more than a physical one. Let me explain.

On the physical side, at first I felt energized and fascinated with the vegan journey. I quickly noticed my internal system responding positively and my complexion becoming clearer and an unusual regulation to the inner machine (I don't think I need to elaborate on that). I also quickly learned how difficult it is to avoid all red meat at restaurants given that most dishes contain meat of some kind. At first, I missed those great moments of steak, hamburger, bacon, sausage, and even chicken (although I have never been a big chicken fan). But after a week or two, I no longer missed the meat and in fact found myself almost disgusted by the sight and smell of it.

A steady diet of salad, fruits, and vegetables was enjoyable (with the exception of the 200 blueberries I ate one evening--I couldn't seem to stop and became over-regulated for a brief time!) and relaxing. No fear of under-cooking or overcooking or grease or fat. Just nice, pleasant food grown out of God's green garden.

Yet time did not bear out my expectations. After approximately two months I found myself in a physical quandary. I was gaining weight, losing energy, retaining fluids, and feeling lousy. I read some information and discovered this was not an unusual result to a vegetarian diet and in fact was rather common. So it is over and I am now enjoying a balanced diet that includes some red meat mixed with fruits and vegetables.

But I did not experiment with vegetarianism for the physical benefits, instead I was curious as to the sociological responses. And I was not disappointed. I received many varied reactions to my vegetarian pronouncement. Most people questioned my motives--curious if I had become a liberal animal rights activist! Some people became immediately defensive as though I were judging them for eating meat. Most people looked at me quite oddly and wondered if I had lost my mind--was I really the same person or had something dramatic happened to the marbles in my head?

I temporarily broke the mold that had been established for me by my friends and acquaintances. I defied the label and left them guessing and questioning and strangely fearful that I had changed. I, of course, enjoyed this experience immensely and who knows, may experiment with something new again. Perhaps a nose ring would cause undue social reaction!

Meanwhile, I am reminded of the words of Aristotle: "Moderation in all things." This applies to many areas of life including food.