I’d like to begin today’s post with a short analogy on perspective. In today’s modern world, there are infinite amounts of choices, decisions, colors, names, kinds, and everything else to choose from. That subsequently means there are an infinite number of possibilities for us out there; opportunities for us to take to rise up in any given situation, right? Sadly, humanity is doomed to be miserable thanks to the very limiting beliefs we are conditioned to learn to live with. And even worse is the fact that we are stubborn enough to insist that our own limiting beliefs are the MOST correct & BESTEST standard for all of humankind. It seems so silly, right? Yet, it is very true.

Even though there is an innumerable amount of taboo subjects that are definite no-no’s for me in a large circle, almost every single one of those could be downplayed if we only lived peacefully by the motto “live and let live”. But, sigh, imagine all the people….right? Conversations on said subjects can really bring out the worst in a human being, and with the high hopes to spread kindness through my words, I’d like to share some of the most common debatable topics in order to bring awareness to everyone: we all think differently, believe differently, need differently, want differently, and behave differently. So next time you find yourself exchanging words on any of the following subjects, do yourself a favor and listen. You might learn something new that could change your entire perspective on: abortion, sex education, alternative medicine, assisted suicide, death penalty, climate change, cloning, cryptocurrency, gay rights, immigration, plastic surgery, marijuana, vaccines, women’s rights, and today’s hottest one all over social media: AI.

But what on earth does a salami have to do with AI, you ask?! Nothing. But this beautifully carved chunk of meat is the star of another seemingly hot topic in today’s ever-changing world: VEGANISM. I began this post with the emphasis on the vast amount of choices there are nowadays, and the practice of abstaining from the consumption and use of animal products has sparked brand new ways to not only buy all sorts of foods, clothing, and beauty products, but also to debate! There are technically 4 types of vegans: ethical vegans, environmental vegans, health vegans, and religious vegans, and no matter what kind you are, you will always get dirt for your choice. Thankfully, the movement has gained quite a number of people in the last years, which has led to the development of a great variety of plant-based products that serve as better alternatives to the animal products we have grown up with, and a relatively more open culture in the more developed countries of the world. What is good, what is bad, what is right, or wrong? There are 8 billion people in the world and I bet each one could give you their own two cents on that!

However, this post is meant to raise awareness on the fact that we can all choose something, and it has nothing to do with you. My particular take on it is that the truth about whether eating meat or not is good or bad is all relative and the focus lies directly on bringing yourself back to who you really are: a human. I know it’s hard to hear something different from what you are used to, but you just have to let our human desires evolve. EVOLVE. As different things happen in the world and different priorities rise, it might so happen that it’s just what this feels like what we want to do as a human race. Life causes an evolution of all species as co-creators on this planet. Some animals only eat plants, some only meat, & some a little bit of all. But as long as there is a strong intentionality for the cells of my body to ask for this which is available here or there, then I suppose it just feels right to eat just that.

Unfortunately, some people just don’t want to evolve with this, and all over the world, policies are made to decide what & how humans should eat. And you see how that’s worked out, deciding on what to eat is so complicated now! People even start to get afraid of inviting each other over for dinner, there’s so much variety on what people are eating! Because everyone’s written a book on what’s wrong with every single thing that you may be inclined to want to eat. Pretty soon you’re looking around in the grocery store with a state of such confusion you have no idea what you want to eat. But the cells of your body do! And they would want you to eat some of all of it, instead of none of any of it.

Veganism is a growing trend here in Germany, and lately we have been joining the bandwagon with the hopes to eat a healthier and more balanced natural diet. Nonetheless, it was with great happiness that I embraced the goodies my Italian exchange student came bearing: wild boar salami and parmigiano reggiano. Straight from the Sibillini mountains, this wild boar salami is definitely reserved for those palates which, with a delicate bite, are still able to savor the high quality nature and authenticity of the fine meat, with its incomparable and generous flavor. It is not easy to find a good salami, and I couldn’t pick one myself if my life depended on it, which is why I live by moments like these, when I am able to taste the finest direct from the hands of those that know best!

Wild boar meat is far leaner than pure pork meat, which makes wild boar salami an excellent mix. After grinding, the meat is flavored with salt, pepper, herbs, spices, and sometimes red wine, and then bagged & left to mature for a period between 60 & 90 days. Wild boar are numerous in a number of Italian regions, and love to feed on grapes in the vineyards. They are both a local emblem and a local delicacy, enjoying a measure of protection around the regional parks. They can, however, become a pest to the nearby villages. Therefore the hunting season remains part of the rural year for the older generation, and provides a prime ingredient for rich and sustaining recipes. With such an intentional food supply chain, where we respect the nature of the animal, make it part of our culture, and use the meat as nourishment, I am all for keeping up with the balanced diet our human cells crave. It is only when we as a people step out of our alignment and make consumption a problem for our mother earth, that I choose to refrain from being a part of that destruction and in my day-to-day choose the vegan way.