I'm a vegetarian and have been for most of my life. I was a problem child for my sweet mother as I constantly rejected her meat and fish meals. She never understood my needs, and, of course, during the war and immediate post war years there was little choice if any, and we were poor, and that situation also shaped my mum's meals. Thus from an early age, I rejected meat and fish as repulsive. I have no explanation for that other than that I viewed the killing of animals as abhorrent and that remains my view to this day. Or possibly, there is a physiological explanation as I later discovered in Peter J. D'Adamo's book 'Eat right for your type'.
I recall an invitation by a cousin to visit and stay with them in the Netherlands. I gladly accepted the invitation, and made my position clear to them (which is my normal approach to avoid any difficulties) - please do not serve me meat or fish - I don't eat meat or fish - not at all - not any time - never. I was collected at the railway station and shown to my room. That evening we gathered for a meal, and I discovered that my words were completely and utterly ignored, and wasted on my hosts. I protested to my hostess. She exclaimed that when you are in our house you will do as we do - we eat meat and fish. I got up from the table and went upstairs, gathered my belongings together and left, and returned to London. I later discussed this with other family and non-family people, and I'm convinced that those people are an aberration as most Dutch people are reasonable and accommodating and would respect my dietary wishes.
Similarly, during the course of my recent pilgrimage, there were some pilgrims who often encouraged me to eat dishes that clearly and obviously were meat or fish based. I'm not sure to this day if their motives were pure and that they were interested and concerned in my well-being or if it was an attempt to subvert me or perhaps relieve their own discomfort. I don't know! I do know that it's not easy following a vegetarian lifestyle.
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