These are difficult times, with all the violence in our world, not only in countries far beyond our reach, but also in schools, homes, and even in the forest, where a former Boston Bruins player recently shot a 28 year old father to death in a hunting accident.

Ever since I heard someone say it about 15 years ago, I’ve believed strongly that peace starts on our plate. If we allow animals to be captured, drugged, maimed, tortured and murdered, without regard to the suffering of them and their families, and then we let much of that food go to waste, we are certainly doomed to the same treatment.

Now that we’ve witnessed six-year-old children being hunted in their elementary school, we need to take responsibility for it. Not just to write a letter to our lawmakers for tougher gun laws, or arm the school administration, but also to start seeing the way we perpetrate violence on the Earth and the animals, and bring more violence.

This may seem odd to you, but if you meditate on it, and become aware of what is routinely done in the world of ocean fishing and factory farming, you may begin to see it differently. Try reading The World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle.

If you are ready to make positive changes, start by never ever again eating veal, hamburger, chicken, shrimp and cheese. These are the most dangerous foods and the ones that cause the most harm to our world.

Replace them with beans, bean products, and mushrooms. There are many great recipes here and other places online. Masao’s Kitchen in Waltham also serves these foods, and has cookbooks available.

These changes add up, for you, for the environment, for the animals, and eventually for a less dangerous and violent world.

Peace for the holidays and always.