vegetarianism and jonathan safran foer

In the past few months my vegetarianism has been in limbo. After meat eating in Europe I've certainly fallen off the wagon, and I haven't really felt too bad about it. When I do eat meat, its usually in small quantities and infrequently spaced. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I still feel the same way about eating meat- the implications for the environment, the treatment of factory farmed animals, and health benefits- are still important to me. But at the same time, I don't think some sampling every now and then really negates those things. And yet, if I can't stick to this, can I really stick to anything I believe in?

I came across an article by Jonathan Safran Foer in The New York Times Magazine Food Issue. He is one of my favorite authors, writing the beautiful works, Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He's coming out with a new book called Eating Animals, and this article is adapted from it. Yes its about not eating meat, but really its about his family, perspective on life, and the importance of living by what you believe. I've never been one to push eating habits on to others, and my recommendation to read this article is no exception. I just really loved it, and wanted to share.

"Against Meat: The Fruits of Family Trees," by Jonatha Safran Foer.

"When I was young, I would often spend the weekend at my grandmother’s house. On my way in, Friday night, she would lift me from the ground in one of her fire-smothering hugs. And on the way out, Sunday afternoon, I was again taken into the air. It wasn’t until years later that I realized she was weighing me..." read more