We had Thanksgiving at our home this year, as always. We have learned to split the holidays. I always take Thanksgiving and my mother-in-law takes Christmas eve. My brother-in-law and his wife have yet to take a holiday. but it would be difficult for us to go there for a few reasons. They have 4 cats and do not keep up on the tidiness of their living area. And the fact that my husband and son are allergic to them is an extra added kicker.
But we had a nice dinner all the same. This was definitely not my best year. It was not my recipes, they were great. It just did not flow smoothly like it usually does. For one I cooked a ham and a turkey...for thee omnivores in our family. I will not do that again. I make enough dishes that no one would walk away hungry. that is, if they decide to fore go their assumptions as to what vegetarians eat and just give our food a try.
I waited to see how long it would take for someone...anyone to make any type of comment about our eating style. It took til the end of the meal this time. Not bad. My brother-in-law, who is thee epitome of the SAD (standard American diet) made a comment on my daughters plate and what she was eating when I tried to coax his son to try a bit of everything on his plate, even the ham. He went about to make mention that my daughters plate lacked the meat portion. Then he moved on quickly to a story about a friend of his who's child recently went vegan and now the cost of their grocery bill has gone up $200. That may be a viable answer for a months worth of groceries. But what I tried to explain to my brother-in-law (who of course knows everything about everything) is that it is this child's choice. He pointed out that he thought it was a fad. And that may very well be the case. But aren't some habits and or lifestyles start out as fads and then catch on. So what knock what this child is attempting to do.
That was when I diplomatically as possible explained to my brother-in-law (who is morbidly obese), that yes it is a bit more expensive to eat healthy, but I will be better off then the rest of you, making a blanket statement in reference to those who did not eat healthy. I referred to my in-laws, who carry around a small suitcase of pills, as well as my parents. they are now paying for an unhealthy lifestyle. Pay now, or pay later is my motto.
I won't be dragging my butt because of some illness that could have been prevented due to the choices I could have made in my eating habits. I have made those choices now and do not regret them. I did ask both my brother-in-law and his wife, what they would do if their son came to them at an early age and wanted to give up meat? And the wife said she would support her son but would let him know he could always come back to the meat eating world. Huh?! What does that even mean? Are we the dark side? Is it so difficult to imagine life outside the meat-eating box? I guess for some it is, but not for us.
And as this holiday passed, I was talking to my daughter about giving up more animal by-products, such as cheese, dairy and eggs, even thought we use them sparingly now. And her response was, "People already think we are freaks, and it is already difficult to go anywhere other than home to eat, what would it be like if we went vegan?"
So, she thinks about it, but is afraid of the backlash and what people will say. Pah I say. It is now my new project to find us ways to lose more dairy and eggs as well. I am bound and determined to show her that becoming vegan is do-able and that we are already considered freaks, what's one more step in that direction?
So watch as I discover how to incorporate veganism into our lives and not come off as weird...yeah right.
