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“Welcome Home” by Julie Tuesday, VLCE

Hello.  I’m Julie and I’m not going to tell you exactly how long I’ve been a vegan.

You see, I believe that we are ALL born vegan and that we’ve strayed from our natural path for a variety of reasons. We were fed animal products by well-meaning family members so that we would grow “big and strong” — as if! And that message was reinforced as we were brainwashed by greedy corporations that lack a conscience.

If we are born vegan, then being vegan is not a sacrifice. It is my belief that being vegan is something that rings true within our spirits and bodies because it is already part of our inherent fabric. When people embrace this life (again), we are blessed with magnificent gifts and tools to help us change the world for the better.

By clinging to old forms and attitudes, some of which cause us to declare our vegan “tenureship” with everyone we meet (I was once the worst of them all) we act from a standpoint of weakness. We declare our veganism as if it’s some kind of badge of honor that signifies tremendous personal sacrifice.

Don’t get me wrong.  I, too, have found myself at the local diner at 3 a.m. with nothing but a boring vegetable plate or order of French fries for company while everyone else is enjoying all the things you wished you had in a vegan version – but that isn’t real sacrifice – inconvenience perhaps – but sacrifice? No.

Nevertheless, after my first decade as a vegan, I lapsed. I still didn’t wear animals, and I didn’t buy anything tested on animals or with animal products. I continued to sign petitions and protest and I donate. Oh — and I preached. And preached and preached, and yet there were many more times that I would like to admit that I ATE THEM. I ate my animal friends and I knew what I was doing.

Did I love them any less? No.

Did my desire to see them out of bondage waiver? No.

Did I know in my heart I would go back to being a practicing vegan again? YES.

I have reasons for why I ate the flesh of my animal family. But reasons sometimes blur with excuses and that is fertile ground for seeds of lies to take root so I will exempt you from hearing the “reasons.”

I am letting you know that because I did lapse – and relapse – I am now completely at one and completely at home with my vegan-ness. I have been tempted and I have fallen but I did not stay down and, if you’re identifying with any of this, neither should you. And if you know someone walking this path, do not criticize them but instead encourage and support them to return home to the garden.

I have spent many more hours then you might imagine crying over and feeling guilty about what I did. Learn from me. Learn this well. Guilt is a vacuum. If you allow it even the slightest pull upon your psyche it will not release you until it has stolen a hefty chunk of your joy. Do not allow this.  Have remorse, make amends, but do not allow continued guilt to be a part of your process.

Remember – we were created to eat plants (see Genesis 1:29). If you are a non-believer you can still understand that our bodies were built to be nourished from plants – it’s in the science.  We, as returning vegans, are in a position of power because we have broken free of the chains of bondage of wrong thinking and have embraced what is natural and pure. Being vegan is a glorious way to live. If we continue to make our vegan tenure part of our calling card we weaken ourselves as a collective. If you have “come back” to being vegan – then let us go forward from here.

Instead of focusing on how long you are vegan try instead to remember that you were ALWAYS vegan and try to diminish how long you were not. You can do this day by day, hour by hour, life by life.

It’s time to welcome new vegans into a land without competition or judgment, time to reboot our collective mindset so that, when a person declares themselves to be vegan, it is with the understanding that they are returning to the truth of being who they already are.

Hi. I’m Julie. I’m a vegan. Will you join me back home in the garden?


vi3.logoJulie Tuesday is a certified MSVA Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator
, Animal Rights Activist and Crossposter, Triathlete (sprint distance), and Songwriter who, back in the day, played in a number of Heavy Metal Bands. She is blessed to share her home with cats and fruit flies. Find Julie at VeganIn3.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

3 thoughts on ““Welcome Home” by Julie Tuesday, VLCE”

  1. Excellent article, very heartfelt and sincere! I am not a vegan but will try to get as close as possible to that enlightened state. 🙂

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