Why I decided to not eat meat

I get asked this a lot, most of the time I find myself quickly saying "because I like animals." I do this so I won't have to go into all the details just to have people scoff at me and look at me like I'm crazy. In this part of Texas not eating meat is like not wearing clothes, people literaly think your crazy. At the health food store where I work whenever I meet vegetarians or vegans I feel like we are a secret little society that has to whisper aout our lifestyle. I think I will put more thought into my answer even to those I know who will just laugh at me. Two of my closest friends always used to laugh at my not eating meat, I never pushed it with them and never tried to convert them. In the past year one of them has told me that she very rarelly eats meat now becuase it just doesnt make her feel good. The other friend who was overwieght and ate junk now eats very little meat and eats all organic. We are always inspiring those around us even if we are not using words. Anyway I stopped eating meat slowly. When I was 15 in home ec we went on a field trip to the slaughter house (yes only in Texas) while all the other kids either thought it was cool or really gross to watch the animals get slaughtered, All I could think was this is wrong. After that I slowly cut out beef, then chicken etc, then fish. The way I see it is I want to be the most peaceful person I can be. As St Francis said "Lord make me an instument of Thy peace." Knowing what I know of how animals suffer, and trust me if you don't believe they can feel, stare into the eyes of a cow that is about to get slaughtered and you see the same fear that a human being possesses. Later on I learned about the health/ecological benefits of being veggie which furthered my reasoning. People always ask me what I will do if my daughter decides she wants to eat meat. I think it is just like any other parent, we all want our kids to have the values we've instilled in them. I'm doing my best to try and teach her now why we don't eat meat, just as I teach her why I believe in Christ. There will come a day when she will have to decide if what I believe and have taught her is what she believes. The best way to teach her this is to live what we believe. If I profess to love Jesus but turn around and hate my neighbor she will never see the true aspects of beliving in Jesus. I also do not ever try to urge people into not eating meat, as the bible says not to argue about what others eat. I know not everyone could do it. I believe God created me with a compassionate heart and seeing an animal have its life taken away for human consumption was enough to stop me from ever eating meat again. Everyday I feel at peace about my decision to not eat meat....