Lent

For me it started with Lent. You know, that period of 40 days prior to Easter
where Christians typically "give up" something, or, sometimes take on a new
commitment to prayer or tithing etc. In past years I had given up 1 meal a
day for the season of Lent, eating 2 meals a day instead of 3. This time I
decided to give up meat, meat being chicken, turkey, beef, pork, basically
any meat except fish. In my particular church denomination, Lent only applies to
Monday-Saturday. That is, the weeks after Ash Wednesday prior to Easter,
but not including Sundays. So, for example, if one gives up chocolate for Lent,
they need do so only 6 days of the week, it is allowable to eat chocolate on Sundays.
So, this is how I started. I ate no meat Mon-Sat and on Sunday I would a
hamburger, or chicken wings. Actually this worked very well.
It provided me with a transition period and a chance to get used to my new
"diet". It was also mentally easier I suppose, because I embarked on it all
for only a limited period of time. (For "the rest of your life" is a hard concept
to commit to!). However, after Easter rolled around I had already made up
my mind I would continue. And I have. And no meat on Sundays either!
There are lots of great reasons to eat vegetarian, include health, ethical treatment
of animals, efficient use of farmland etc. But, I think in the end, it is really a
"calling". Perhaps you are being "called" to be vegetarian. Only you can
answer this question. It is a discipline--physical, mental and spiritual.
Think of it as a one-day-at-a-time commitment. It's a good thing.