things non-vegans say to vegans and my thoughts

These are common things I hear from non-vegans and while I wouldn't actually respond this way, this might be what I'm thinking:

You're just so hippie

Funny. When did what I eat determine what I am to anyone and what does hippie mean to YOU exactly? Does that mean weird because hippy does not mean weird? Does it mean I am compassionate and loving? Then, sure, I will accept that. According to THE google: hippie means: "(especially in the 1960s) a person of unconventional appearance, typically having long hair and wearing beads, associated with a subculture involving a rejection of conventional values and the taking of hallucinogenic drugs,"  and while I don't totally buy this definition either -  I will say this, I am totally tripping out on 'shrooms while I am eating my kale and hummus and salad and I always wear beads. I absolutely agree that I reject conventional values and don't need to follow the masses to do what I believe in and what I feel is right.  

I just couldn't live without cheese or meat

While I hear what you are saying here, "I have always eaten meat and cheese and love it," -says you. Let me remind you that both Barry and I grew up eating meat, cheese and potatoes. I mean we are from Massachusetts and Kansas. We are surviving, our kids are thriving and it was an adjustment. Change is never easy.  Giving up meat and cheese for people that find pleasure in eating them is no easy feat. It also gets easier with time. 

Your kids might rebel and eat meat.

Your kids might rebel and do cocaine, heroine, alcohol. So might mine. Let's hope not. But many kids rebel, not just vegan kids, and lets support each other because it might get rough. 

Why would you do that to your kids?

Do what? Raise my kids in the best way I know how? Teach them to love all animals? Deprive them of eating the flesh of another? We all make choices about how to raise our kids. There is definitely not one way and clearly none of us have it totally figured out or this would not be true: 16,967 results for Books :"raising kids" on AMAZON. Hello!?

Your kids might die.

WHO THE HELL SAYS THAT TO A PARENT? Do you say that to other parents? OMG, you're a hiker your kids might die on a cliff. OMG, you're a sailor, OMG, your a biker, omg, you drive a car, omg, you....

Where do you get your protein?

UGH.  Why do you care where I get my protein? I would be happy to answer if you actually cared but mostly you are just being frustrating. Beans, tofu, broccoli, cashews, almonds, tempeh, seeds, hemp, peanut butter, quinoa, kale if you must know.  

All jokes and snarkiness aside, each and everyone of us is just figuring it out. We make choices daily based on our own values and good intentions. I'm sometimes shocked by these comments; just because my choice might be different from their own. What's cool is we live in a world of diversity and I hope everyone can embrace that.What questions and comments have you had regarding your choices? and how do you respond?