It’s hard for me, living in the country with so much wildlife around, to still be a meat eater. For instance, I had a meal of roast duck at the Chinese restaurant tonight, but then I had second thoughts, remembering the family of ducks that has lately been hanging out at our place. These ducks just go about their business, not bothering anybody or anything.
Our next door neighbour, Farmer Scott, raises beef cattle, and every year we see the wet-behind-the-ears calves toddling behind their mothers, too clumsily cute. When they get bigger, their numbers will shrink suddenly, accompanied by the bellowing lamentation of mothers that have been suddenly separated from tender calves. To market, to market….
Here’s the thing: I don’t really like meat that much. I was inspired by an eleven year old who came to visit us with his parents. He’s been a vegetarian for some time because he doesn’t want animals harmed on his part. I thought I would ‘jump ship’ as a result of his stance, but, no, I’m still going with the crowd. Daniel is trying to eat quantities of red meat to get his iron count up, and the others of our household cook and eat meat.
I think I’ll get there because I’ve been thinking about vegetarianism for a while, but it will be odd being out of step with the majority.

Ahimsa-pratisthayam tat-samnidhau vaira-tyagah

When [the yogin] is grounded in [the virtue] of non-harming, [all] enmity is abandoned in his presence.*
*The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali, translation and commentary by Georg Feuerstein.