All Life Wants to Live

This is a picture that my husband took at the Norman County Fair this summer of the cutest little baby donkey. 


When our children were small, I became conscious of the fact that the meat we were buying from the grocery store had large amounts of antibiotics and hormones.  For years, I would buy a half of a cow from someone who was raising grass fed beef that was free of antibiotics and hormones.  Occasionally, I would find someone who raised free range chickens and would buy those.  Chickens were harder to find.  I never thought of being a vegetarian.  I just wanted to find meat that was good quality.  In fact,  I was married to a man who would never consider giving up meat.

I can remember meeting someone who was a vegetarian about 10 years ago and she was a vegetarian because of the rights of animals.  I thought at the time that was pretty silly.  I guess this has been a process of evolving for me.  I seem to change as information comes across my path.  It started like I said years ago with the antibiotics and hormones and now I have come to the place where, number one the quality of meat that is offered to human beings is ridiculous and then after I read and saw the treatment of the animals that are being inhumanely raised and then slaughtered, well it's hard to eat the meat now.

  I first became aware of the inhuman treatment of chickens when I was doing some research for my son. I could hardly believe what I was reading.  Then my meat eating husband attended a seminar with our two sons and they all came back with a different attitude toward meat. Meat consumption at our house went way down.  If you have never seen Earthlings I would strongly encourage you to watch this.  What little bit I have watched has changed me forever.  I think you can find Earthlings on you tube.

In our society, I don't think much thought is given about the soul of an animal, how it's treated, does it really have feelings? I'm not saying they are human but I do think more consideration should be given to their well being.  This story crossed my path at a very appropriate time.  It is the story of a man who loved hunting and was an avid hunter.  One day he was in his hut and when the geese flew over he shot his gun and injured one.  It came falling to the pond and another goose saw what happened and left the flock to go to the injured goose.  When he got to the injured goose the other goose that left the flock was covering the injured goose with it's wing and the protecting goose started squawking at him when he appeared.  It so moved him to see this that he never hunted again.

I would just encourage you to do some research on the meat industry.  Watch Earthlings. Also, do some research on how meat effects your body and then let your conscience by your guide.