Today I have been vegan for a year. In some ways it feels much longer than that, in other ways much shorter. Has it been hard? No. Not at all. A resounding, shouting from the rooftop no. Something in me changed permanently a year ago. The things that have been difficult are not what you would expect.

I don’t miss any food. I may remember what something tasted like {say haloumi cheese} and appreciate the memory of that taste, but now my first response is not pass the lemon wedges and cracked pepper but rather that the cheese is produced in an industry that I no longer want anything to do with.

Explaining to people that this is not a phase, or a diet, rather it is a life choice. It is a choice for my life and the lives of the sentient beings I share this earth with. It is a choice for love and for the earth. For compassion and for peace.

The apologetic look people give waiters when we are dining out and I say I’m vegan. Not being included in some outings because they don’t have vegan options. Here’s the thing: everyone has at least one vegan option. Chefs are generally okay to make you something off menu – or to make you a dish and leave out the meat/fish/dairy. Sure there are exceptions to this rule, but there are exceptions to every rule.

People saying oh sorry when I tell them that I’m vegan. I’m not entirely sure still what they are sorry for. Don’t be sorry for me. I’m so insanely happy with my choice.

One year in and how have I changed?

I have always been an emotional critter, but I seem to feel the weight of things much larger than me a whole lot more than I used to. It’s like my internal eyes have opened fully to the horror that is in the world that we {as humans} can change and I just can’t fathom why so many people refuse to see it. I’m not saying everyone should be vegan. Or maybe I am. What I am saying that humans need to stop burying their collective heads in the sand about our planet and the rate we are destroying it. Or we will have no planet to bury our heads in.

I honestly did not set out to be preachy, but I have never been backward in coming forward with my beliefs and sharing science and research articles that support my thoughts. So if we are social media buddies and you feel like there has been more than you would like to see, look away. Or look closer.

I had such visions of being one of those skinny, glowing people. How could you not be when you have chosen a plant-based life? I’ll tell you how: by eating pretend food instead of just sticking to the plants! I have eaten a lot of things in the past year that I would never have eaten before. None of the five years I was vegetarian did I ever even think of eating schnitzels or nuggets or any of the other array of vegan substitutes for meat. So I have given it a good attempt and have tried almost all of them. I am now about 10lb more than I was on this day last year. Perhaps I should go back to spending more time at the farmers market and less time in the freezer section in the supermarket?!

I though every vegan on earth would be a nice person. But, like any other group of people, there are some who are not as nice as you would think. There are some who are pretty judgmental of other vegans. I find that really strange. But as a majority, the vegans I’ve met or had any contact with have been just lovely.

And what of Love Bug? She is vegetarian, although at home {and all meals I prepare for her that she takes to school} she is vegan. At this stage in her life it is easier for her to be labelled vegetarian. If she has a play date or sleep over she doesn’t need to worry about bread that might have milk in it, or birthday cake which is made with eggs, and those little things. She is very aware of things though and questions why I might not eat certain things and what happens to the animals. We have some great children’s literature around veganism and we’ll just take her diet one stage at a time. I are across where we may have deficiencies and supplement where I need to.

As for me, I’m very happy to sing happy veganniversary to me today, and will toast with a vegan pinot noir later this evening.

I am vegan. For compassion. For love. For the animals. For the earth.