‘Charlotte’s Web’, ‘Earthsounds’, and My Vegan Decade
As (my partner) Miranda and I have been engrossed in the outstanding series ‘Earthsounds’, our conversation shifted to how young children learn about the animal kingdom before just about anything else. Kids love animals, and love learning about them. ‘Earthsounds’, with its remarkable visuals and audio, helps unlock the mysteries of animal communication. Seeing the animal kingdom -in such an up close, personal way- reminded me of how enamored I was, learning about and identifying different animals as I was learning to read. ‘Earthsounds’ is full of non-stop ‘oh wow’ moments, including one scene that shows how a male spider plucks the lady spiders web. The sound waves serenade the blind lady spider and alert her that a potential mate is nearby, which also tell her that it’s not foe on her web.
We’ve also been talking about the depth of E.B White’s ‘Charlotte’s Web’, and how it shows such compassion for animals. It’s pretty easy to interpret this classic story as one that looks deeply at how children are conditioned to think its ok to slaughter animals, even though its our innate nature to not want to harm any living creature.
It was a story that certainly affected me, in a way that has resonated through my entire life. The book was my favorite, and my mom took me to see the early 70s animated film twice. I made the proclamation that I didn’t want to eat animals ever again. Being as this was 1980 or so, such a concept simply wasn’t much of a possibility (although my mother certainly expressed empathy and understanding of my viewpoint).
I spent my entire childhood not feeling good about eating meat, and also suffering from severe asthma. If we knew what we know now, giving up dairy very well may have rid me of the asthma that nearly killed me at 8 years old. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I finally said ‘enough’, and went vegetarian. At the time (and especially in the midwest), it was still very much against the grain and not easy to do. Unfortunately, I also wasn’t aware enough to eat well and get proper nutrients. This was a pattern that kept repeating through my adult life; vacillating between not feeling good as either a vegetarian or a meat eater.
In my late 30’s, I was determined to give up meat for good. I knew a few people that were vegan, that helped guide the way for me to finally educate myself on how to make it work. This coincided with performing at Austin Psych Fest in the spring of 2014. The backstage cuisine was vegan, and it was incredibly delicious and satisfying. I’ll never forget those lentils and veggies over quinoa, spiced to perfection, and how well I felt after I ate it. I now had a plan; I would make the transition to being vegan no later than my 39th birthday, on 6/6/2014.
In the ensuing decade, I haven’t felt lacking nor have I missed or craved anything that was animal based. Yes, it’s easier than ever being a vegan in 2024, with more and more options available worldwide. Of course many of these options aren’t healthy; I do have to up my willpower game and be better about less coconut ice cream and fake meats. They can be fun, tasty, and give a little nostalgic kick when that hankering for a cheeseburger hits!
I’ve also experienced my anxiety and depression being far less of a looming problem; fewer instances, and far more manageable when it happens. My entire nervous system feels more in check, making me react less and navigate difficult situations with more ease. Peace truly does begin on the plate.
It’s grounding though to think about that prophetic meal in Austin, and I use it as the basis for my day to day cooking. There’s a whole lot of variety that can be made from steaming, sautéing, or roasting veggies, and so many delicious protein options (nuts, legumes). Spices, garlic, shallots are the keys to whipping up delicious fare, and it’s also very frugal to eat this way! Best of all, none of our friends from the animal kingdom are hurt, exploited, or slaughtered. With a whole colorful array of plant based food options, it feels good to know that my choices won’t harm any of those animals that I so dearly loved learning about as a child, and continue to view with such awe and wonder as an adult.