By Toni Okamoto

Every Thanksgiving, I like to crack open my copy of Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and flip to one of my favorites, “Point of View”. It recharges my patience and prepares me for the questions my genuinely curious distant friends and family may ask. The answers are usually something like this: “Yes, I have eaten meat before.” “No, I don’t miss it.” “How do I do it? Well, my desire to end animal suffering is much stronger than taste. Befriend a turkey and it’s easy to have a totally different perspective. Here, try this delicious vegan dish that I made — you’ll love it!”. It works every time.

For vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas, check out: http://veganoutreach.org/ultimate-vegan-thanksgiving-menu/