Lamentations of a Non-Vegetarian

I often feel pangs of guilt when reminded that animals often die for the sake of my diet. It’s all too easy to pick up a package of meat at the grocery store and disconnect myself from the processes necessary to get that package there. I don’t eat pork, but, sadly, not for ethical reasons; I just don’t like the taste of things like ham and bacon. And I’ve never been a huge fan of red meat; in fact, I did without it for 15 years. But I’ve never been a vegetarian. On paper, it seems like an easy enough decision to make, but, from time to time, I have fierce hankerings for a medium-rare filet mignon, a boatload of sushi, or chicken fresh off the grill. I wish I could be bigger than my cravings, and this is one of my eternal inner shames. Who knows, some day that shame might get the better of me and I’ll turn over a new vegetarian leaf (har-har). In the meantime, I’ve decided the least I can do is make sure I do the next best thing – eat meat less often and purchase only meats and dairy products from companies/farms that operate using humane practices. It’s not the ideal, but at least it’s something. And I share this thought with you in case it encourages you to do the same. (Apologies to my vegetarian friends who are the choir to my preaching.)