Veganism as a religion?

Lately I've been tired of my choice to be a vegan.  I get exhausted from trying to figure out special things for dinner, how to get the right nutrients, and trying to find something to eat when going out.  People are always bugging you about it as to "why?" or "what can you possibly eat" or even "I should just sneak some cheese in there and see what happens!"  It gets a little annoying and sometimes I just want to throw it out the window, say "to hell with it" and just eat the cheese.  Laziness is usually what I chalk it up to.

I think we can tend feel the same way about our religious beliefs.  Whether you're a Christian, Buddhist or Jew, the religion you practice has certain "rules" and ways of living that become a lifestyle choice, a part of who we are.  But there are times when you get tired or bogged down by that lifestyle choice.  It feels stagnant and like nothing but going through the motions.  Not to mention all the people "persecuting" you, making fun of your beliefs or just always asking the "why?" questions.  Throwing it out the window can seem a very welcoming choice, especially when you realize that the answers you have to those questions don't really sound very convincing.

These are the times when we must remind ourselves that we did make these decisions based on very passionate and (hopefully) informed grounds.  There is something that I have made a dedication to, and it isn't so easily cast aside by simply feeling weak in my beliefs for a few days.  I take this time to reevaluate why it is that I choose to walk the path I do, am reminded of the reasons why... And plow on through.