Keeping Kosher?

[dzandiloo]

This is a question for our Jewish brothers & sisters out there.... I am a non-Jewish Texan, taking a course in Jewish Law (which I have found fascinating). I have chosen to write my paper on the Kashruth, and since I can count on one hand the number of actual Jewish friends and acquaintances I have (and none of which keeps kosher), I thought I'd come here and get some insight.

What I'd like to know, is do you keep kosher, and to what extent? Why do you/don't you keep kosher (I'm looking for a more personal reason than "just because the Torah says so"), and how do your friends/relatives who do keep kosher react when you don't? What are the consequences of not doing so? Do you find it difficult or easier to keep kosher in this day and age?

The friends I have are "holiday Jews", and it has only been within the last few years that I realized such a thing existed (like I said, I am from Texas--deep in the Bible Belt--and up until a couple of years ago had a very uneducated-naive understanding of Judaism).

Anyway-thank you in advance for your insight. If you are not comfortable posting your response to the forum, but are willing to share, please feel free to pm me.