A vegetarian dream come true, by Poh Siok Khoon

A vegetarian dream come true, by Poh Siok Khoon I remembered the day I told my parents that I’d lost my appetite for meat. My parents thought I was a freak and I thought they were nuts. Our struggle then was of course not about vegetarianism per se but about making good decisions. They could not see how a 10-year-old could make a good decision for herself. They blamed it on the Buddhist books that I had read. They were afraid of my extremist thinking and were worried that I couldn’t fit in well into society. Freakish though I was, they were really afraid that I would become a nun! I felt hurt about the way my parents perceived me. Although I was only 10 years old, I knew very clearly that when I said I had no appetite for meat, I didn’t mean I had no appetite for life. The truth was that I was dying to have a wonderful life! And that, I thought, was easy to achieve so long as we all gave up meat. However, things were not that easy. I surrendered to my parents’ wishes as I valued them more than myself. Besides, I had to admit that the taste of meat was really quite something. I fought again when I was 19 but lost it. There was still something about the meat-eating world that I wanted to be a part of…I didn’t want to lose all the promising fun in the prime of my years should I give up meat! I had to wait another 10 years to be re-awakened again. I happened to see a documentary on modern farming practices and that was it! My life has since changed for the better when I could do what I’ve always wanted to. The action speaks out loud. Not surprisingly, I received more respect from my family and friends this time. With vegetarianism fast becoming popular nowadays, it’s been quite easy to get vegetarian food at hawker centers and food courts. Some restaurants also have vegetarian menus. I could even enjoy buffet lunches at hotels at reduced prices, just for the vegetarian dishes! I didn’t really like the traditional Chinese vegetarian dishes with its MSG, and all the mock meat stuff. I felt they were unnatural. So, I wanted to find out how I could be more natural and healthy. That led me into exploring different kinds of vegetarian diet, e.g. lacto-ovo vegetarian, macrobiotics, fruitarian etc. I enjoyed experimenting the different diets to find the ideal one for myself. However, I soon felt stuck in my frenzied search for the “ideal” diet… Then, as if by chance, I met someone who had the answer. As he was a shining example of health itself, I earnestly wanted to learn all his secrets. He taught me that it was important that we have a true understanding of how our body works. And this could best be done through fasting. So, I tried juice-fasting and water-fasting. The experience was profound. The fast tuned me into my own body and at a deeper level, I realised that our body is truly a holy, vegetarian temple. I am beginning to pay more respect to my vegetarian “temple” now. I have learnt that raw fruits and vegetables are its natural fuel. I have learnt that sunlight activates life. I have also learnt that the “temple” observes a daily ritual…and knowing all these means that I need to re-evaluate and re-adjust my values and lifestyle. It has not been an easy process, but the rewards of self-care keep me going. And when I feel lighter and younger, my mind clearer, my eyes glow, my complexion improves, and my face brightens, I know I deserve this sweet taste of life! Talking about taste, perhaps some of you may like to try out some raw, exciting dishes. Check it out at www.rawfood.com or get the book, “Fit for Life”, by Harvey Diamond. You’d be amazed to find many interesting, unheard-of recipes! As I look back over the years, I shall never forget to thank myself for realising this vegetarian dream. I now know that when one dream comes true, it is possible that my other dreams would one day be realised too… Article by Poh Siok Khoon Top Back to VSS Column.