45 years ago today, I ate my last traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The day on our calendar that is most closely associated with killing other species of animals, and of enjoying the consumption of its flesh, seemed the perfect day to become a vegetarian.
I have nothing against carnivores. Some of my best friends, and so on. In fact, almost all of my friends and the ones I love are carnivores. It is very much a part of the nature for animals to kill and eat other animals. A human eating a turkey is no less natural than a lion eating a gazelle, or a fish eating another fish. But vegetarianism is natural too. In fact, most of our primate relatives and ancestors were and are mainly vegetarian.
The majority of the food consumed by primates today–and every indication is for the last thirty million years–is vegetable, not animal.
Rob Dunn, in Scientific American
For painfully obvious reasons, this Thanksgiving is like no other, and some traditions need to be altered this year, or at least postponed until next year. Still, there are things for which we can give thanks. I am grateful, even more this year, for my family and friends, and for the creative spirit that flows through our species and flowers in such spectacular fashion and variety. And I give thanks for all the doctors, nurses, researchers, and technicians who have worked so hard, since the beginning of this pandemic, to develop a vaccine that will bring this nightmare to an end.
Stay safe, and remember – this time next year we will have many new wonders to be thankful for. And, for anyone considering vegetarianism, I highly recommend Thanksgiving as the perfect day to begin enjoying the lifestyle.
Words & Music by Mike Power 