You never know where your thoughts may take you when you blog. A reply to another’s post may become your “post of the day” if you’re not careful. Or, if another person writings inspire you to reveal your self . . .
Dear Kim,
One of our chickens, Hilary, was sitting on 21 eggs. Yes, 21 eggs. So, my son and I took all but five, marked them, and carted off the unmarked eggs and put them in the refrigerator.
A couple days later, I boiled them to make egg salad. Used the same amount of time to bring to a hard boil, and then turned down the heat for a medium boil.
Started to peel them, when I noticed an egg was only medium-done, it was not hard-boiled, but soft, with running liquid. Cooked them again, added more time.
Peeled one and saw red coloring. Peeled some more and saw the remains of what first appeared as a body. It couldn’t be, I thought. Must be my imagination.
Peeled more of the shell and there it was. The tiny head of a chick. Dead. Or, never brought to life.
How can I ever eat another egg?
I threw out all the ones I had boiled. Can not get the image out of my mind, and I can understand your feelings about not being able to eat turkeys after seeing them caged and mis-treated.
[Buddhist tell us they’re all sentient beings. Well, are vegetables in the same class? I don’t know. Don’t want to think of these things some times. Ignorance is bliss, but no defense under the law.]
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I need to lose 25 pounds (OK, maybe 30 or 35). Pretty much have been a vegetarian since October 25 when I went to a place called Omega Institute and ate no meat, ridding myself of GIRD, the acid reflux problem with the esophagus.
Weight Watchers. Maybe I’ll look into it.
Once again, I find myself inspired by something Kim has written.
Thanks.
contoveros
Contoveros 
You see – this is why I always let other people make my eggs for me. And it’s why I allow farmers to butcher their cows. And it’s why I don’t ask questions when the hotdog vendor sells me his product.
Ignorance truly is bliss.
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I like the idea of others making eggs for you. Kinds reminds me of how laws are made, something you don’t want to see. Like someone making sausage.
Yeah, I think I’ll be eating out a lot more when I want eggs and hash browns.
contoveros
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Michael,
Thanks for this. I have always enjoyed your chicken stories. I wonder if Hilary knows her name? She couldn’t possibly have raised 21 chicks, do you think? Some of them would have died either way. Just think of the many chicken deaths you have not been a part of by raising your own eggs. Factory egg farming is the worst of the worst.
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My son wants me to watch videos showing how chickens are treated by the big producers. I don’t want to watch.
Thanks for the comforting remarks. It helps ease things a bit.
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Michael and Phil,
Conscious eating is something I struggle with. I don’t think it’s a requirement to be vegetarian when you are Buddhist, but it seems good practice to think about where our food comes from and the sacrifices made–from the smallest worm who loses its life to pesticide poisoning to the migrant workers slaving over our fields. Food is a blessing. When you eat consciously, you can’t help but embrace a sustainable lifestyle that is good for all in the food chain.
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Vegetarian for over forty years! And lived to tell the tale! 🙂
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I can appreciate the Buddhist teaching of how all life is interconnected, and how we can pay attention to where our food comes from.
Simply doing that can change how we consume food.
Peace,
Phil
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