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Gratitude
There are many things to be grateful for and it is especially easy to think
of these things after Thanksgiving. It is during this time that we think
back and are thankful for all of the things that we have and all of the
opportunities we got. I am grateful for many things. I'm grateful that I
have a loving husband. I'm thankful that all of my family still lives in
Alabama so I do not have to deal with not being able to go down the road to
see them. I'm thankful for my animal companions -- mischievous though they
are. And despite the fact that my two cats knocked down my Christmas tree
the day after I put it up, I am grateful for them -- they make me happy. I
am grateful for having had religion introduced into my life and for my close
relationship with God. Finally, among other things, I am thankful for having
discovered veganism.
I am not quite certain how or why I discovered it. I came home from school
one day and said, completely out of the blue, "I'm not going to eat meat,
dairy, or eggs anymore." There was no prior basis for this. I was not a
vegetarian before, though I did eat only a small amount of meat. Still,
something inside of me told me to become and a vegan and for that I am
grateful. Another thing for which I am grateful is my unwavering willpower.
All through my life, I have had terrible experiences with my willpower. I
was never able to resist things and I always gave in to my whims. After I
became a vegan, things seemed to get easier. Perhaps it is because I don't
restrict food from myself, or perhaps it is something else. All I know is
that for the past several months, I have been going into melted cheese
withdrawal. But I have not given in -- not even once. And I don't feel
deprived of the food itself, only of the things it would go on (pizza,
lasagna, etc). Also, at Thanksgiving, I was tempted more than once by my
family to "compromise" and have a bit of milk chocolate, or I was told that
a little bit of this or that would not hurt. They were wrong, though. It
would have me on the inside, but I was able to resist the temptation. All I
had to do to resist was think of the torment the animals would have had to
go through to provide me with that bit of food -- then I had no desire to
eat it.
My basketful of blessings is bountiful. I never wake up in the mornings and
wish that it was a different day. I am thankful for each day that comes, and
the adventure and excitement that it might bring. Each day is the start of a
new journey, as well as a continuation of the old, in which many new
blessings are given to me. I am grateful for each of these blessings and for
the ones that I have already received.
Jennifer H.
Alabama
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by Jo Stepaniak All rights reserved.
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