Happy new year, everyone! I hope 2023 brought you happiness and fulfilment. I am spending the new year in Sri Lanka with my family, an inspiring and beautiful country where human beings co-exist with animals in a way I’ve not experienced before.

On that subject I feel certain that many New Year’s resolutions are going to involve trying to cut down or cut out completely the consumption of meat and dairy. This might be for health or environmental reasons, or because you believe – as I do – that animals have as much right to the gift of life as we do. Personally speaking it’s been two years since I made the decision to become vegan after 22 years of being vegetarian. I’m aware that in this age of social media any assertion of one’s lifestyle choices or opinions will be taken by some as an attack on their own, so I’m careful about how much I talk about it. But all the same here I am writing this, and (if you’re still reading) while I’m not going to say it was easy to make the change it was not as hard as I expected, and it has lead to me feeling much better about myself, not to mention finding positive spiritual benefits in many other aspects of my life. Besides which I don’t believe anything truly worthwhile in life comes easily. Anyway, I humbly applaud and support you if this is your chosen resolution for 2024!

Whatever your choice, I wish you the best of health and peace for the coming year. S x