[VeganIma]

Hi everyone! Here is my testimony:

I first went vegetarian as a young teen in middle school. I remember looking for information online, and printing off a few nutrition articles to show my mom that I could, in fact, survive without meat. That first time lasted only a few months because at the time, I didn't know how to cook.

Then, during my second year of high school, I let my mom know that I wanted to go vegetarian again. She agreed, but very reluctantly. Her only request was that I learn how to cook. So I did, which started my passion for cooking and baking. A few weeks later, after reading Dr. Neal Barnard's book, Food for Life, I became a vegan for the health benefits.

Then I found Colleen Patrick Goudreau's podcast, Food for Thought, and decided to become an ethical vegan. I remained a vegan for three years.

Then, unfortunately, due to certain influences in my life, I mistakenly thought that my veganism wasn't compatible with my faith, so I reluctantly dropped it. The people pleaser in me was relieved, but I couldn't help feeling guilty about the animals I was eating once more.

Then, after high school, I got married. Hubby had known that I was an on again off again vegetarian. So one day, we sat down to watch Earthlings. I had seen it before, but my Hubby had not. He became an instant vegan after watching that documentary. I, of course, was more than happy to join him. We were zealous vegans for about a year and a half. In fact, my pregnancy with our son was almost completely vegan.

Then, Hubby decided to drop religion, and anything too restricting in his life a few months after the birth. So eventually, I began to eat dairy and eggs again. Then, a year and a half later, due to finding out I am both soy and gluten intolerant, I decided to eat fish again.

But I have never felt okay with eating the flesh of a once living creature! So now I am working my way back to veganism. I still eat some cheese here and there, and the occasional eggs for breakfast, but ideally, I would like to return to what I see as the path most aligned with my values of compassion and peace - veganism.