A Vegan Contemplates...

When a non-veg asks me what my veganism entails, for the sake of clarity, I generally answer that I do not consume any animal products. Now of course that is not entirely true, but rather that I strive on a daily basis to consume fewer and fewer animal products, exploiting fewer helpless creatures.

The dietary choices are the easiest: I will not eat anything that had a mother or came from a mother. Simple.

The clothing category is a bit more complicated, bc I still own leather, wool and cashmere that was purchased prior to being vegan. And I still wear those items. And occasionally, I'll buy second-hand leather. Am I treading into a kind of gray area? Hence my contemplation.

At least 50% of the beauty products in my possession I know to be cruelty-free, but some of those labeled "natural" are perhaps not so kind to our animal friends. As simple as it would be to throw all those questionable products away, I am also extremely uncomfortable with wasting, so I hesitate.

I drive a car. My car drinks gas and oil. The production of oil leads to countless animal deaths--I mean just Google oil spill--that's real tragedy. I do try to drive as little as possible, but I am not willing at this point to give it up entirely.

I will often patronize a restaurant that serves meat as well as vegetarian food. My logic here is that I live in an area with few all-vegan restaurants, and there are days when I simply do not want to look at a stove. So I support an establishment that does not align with my ethics. Yikes.

And frankly, I sometimes wonder if it's okay to look the other way when it comes to a meat eating friend or family member? I am so concerned with not preaching and not judging, that perhaps I'm avoiding an ugly truth sitting right in front of me? We all know it's a tricky thing to be a vegan amongst so many non-vegans.

Lately I've been considering that perhaps veganism is comparable to one's religion. It's an ethical system that defines not only my lifestyle choices but my moral framework. I am a flawed vegan and am constantly examining my commitment. I've embraced that striving to be the best vegan possible is an evolving process.