And then... you are free ! You don't carry the burden of begrudge. You are not occupied with thoughts about the matter. Oh, yes, these thoughts !!... They range from revenge ( sweet or bitter) all the way to self-doubt (and further more to self -hatred). 
These thoughts that pester in you... like brewed yeast.
Until you wake up one morning ( or night) to the sound of the voice that whispers ( or shouts): "ENOUGH"! No one in the world should hold this power over you. The power that you give to others so freely, unaware that you do. 
​Forgive them - because you deserve to be free !

Around Christmas of last year i've chosen the Vegan Path. It actually feels that this was the only first step i had to take. Since then it felt that veganism chose me....
The transition was surprisingly (to me) smooth and easy. As a matter of fact i feel as if i've always been vegan.
From a way of eating it has become a way of life.
From a way of life it became a philosophy of existence (for all creatures).
From philosophy of existence it became a path. 
And it all makes sense now. 
i am vegan because :
1. i don't want to be a part of the slaughter of animals. Everyone has a soul; me included. 
2. i care for the future of the planet; not just "my" planet ( the one that exist while i'm alive) , or even my children's planet. i care for the future - 7- generations- planet.
3. i respect my body - my health.
The rewards i receive every day are a clearer mind and deeper/ open  heart.
i recently spent time in NZ teaching in a Suzuki Music Camp. i woke up one morning to the cry of a cow. She was crying because her calf was taken away from her. She wanted to feed him just as i wanted to feed my children. It's not a decision that her or i had to make. It was in our nature. It is our nature. We, mothers, need and want to feed our offsprings. This is our duty; our right. 
Veganism has opened my eyes and my heart to a new level of understanding and experience. 
i feel the connection between all living creatures. 
So when you ask me if it's not hard for me to be a vegan, and if i don't miss the food i used to ear before, i'd say the opposite is true. i feel that i'm gaining every day. The list of bonuses has just started. i'm discovering more as i go. Yes. 
And the vegan food is the embodiment of yumminess for my bud taste. i'm rediscovering the joy of cooking and food preparing. i revere the gifts of mother earth. i'm in awe at the beauty, colours and energy that each plant-based recipe grants me. 
iVegan is becoming my way of life; not my diet.

When i was 8 or 9 years old, a book about the Holocaust fell into my hands.
i read it from cover to cover. i couldn't put it aside.
i went back to the library and borrowed another book about the Holocaust.
i read it through  without putting it aside. This repeated over and over again. When i finished the "light" books (the ones that children "could handle" ), i went on and took off the shelf  books about the Holocaust that were written for adults.  At that time you couldn't borrow more than one book at a time, so i visited the library every few days.
The librarian called my mother and expressed her concern.  "Mama", i said to my mother when she shared the librarian's concern "this is the least i can do! i need to know what happened there ! i need to feel it !".
i did not stop until i read e v e r y   s i n g l e  b o o k  the library had about the Holocaust.

Now a similar thing happens to me about Veganism.
It might  look like an obsession. i need to watch the movies. i need to read about it. i need to feel what the animals might feel; or at least get close to what it might be. 
i need to KNOW. Once the gate of awareness has opened i cannot go back to sleep. i should not go back to sleep. 

 ​She’s here! she’s just arrived and I’m already in love. Like a new born precious baby that has so much to promise.
 
I look at her. She' still fresh and warm. She opens her eyes, trying to adjust to the roaring sound of the fireworks, the blinking light of  colours sparkling, flashing  . She’s staring at me, at us, trying to understand where she is.
 
I welcome her like a loving mother. I say to her: welcome to the world. YOU ARE 2018!  You are unique. Instead of asking what  you have for me, I’ll tell you what I have for you.
i promise to give you everything  I can to make you happy, healthy, peaceful and loved. I’m going to give you every bit of creativity I have – and more – to make you different and original. After all you are the first 2018 that was born to us –and we, the whole village - are going to raise you TOGETHER with all our heart. We will do our best to make it worthwhile for you to be here.

I’m happy you made it! (there were times I wasn’t sure that you’ll come). 
We’ve been waiting for you, for 2017 years.
Welcome 2018!