Because I am all too human, I don't always do the right thing, so how can I expect others to perform perfectly on the issues that are my top priority? I don't mean that we shouldn't try to do our best, but judgment and recrimination are such heavy weights. I find that accepting that we are all fallible lightens my load.

I wholeheartedly encourage any steps in the right direction, in whatever time frame works for the person on the path.

Remember that veganism is a compassionate lifestyle not a punitive religion. Enjoy it! And if the going gets rough, it's better to relax the rules occasionally than to give up the game entirely.

Mostly, I make sure to stay keenly aware of my own shortcomings so that I am more patient with others. It can be hard to see a friend order a cow-milk latte when almond or soy milk is available, knowing that the friend knows what dairy cows go through, how they mourn their babies, who have been carted off to veal crates so that we can steal their milk.

It is important to meet people where they are. It reminds me of yoga, to which people may flock for the physical benefits, often to find that the spiritual benefits match or even outweigh them.

Caring for animals means caring for the environment they live in, and vice versa.

Some of us seem to be born with a drive to try to make the world kinder.