Lent
It is that time of year again. One thing I've noticed is that Lent seems to happen around the time the bulbs start to poke their green shoots up through the ground. If that remains the case, next year, spring will be early.
Inevitably, people ask me why I celebrate Lent since I'm "not even Christian". That statement makes about as much sense to me as someone asking "Why do you celebrate Chinese New Years when you're only half Chinese?" No, I'm definitely not Catholic and, by the standards of most Christian churches, I'm not exactly Christian. But Lent has become a cultural and spiritual practice for me. It is time I take to test and challenge myself. Often my sacrifice involves food because it is such a big, enjoyable part of my life, and also my greatest obstacle and indulgence.
This year is different. Well, a bit different. I am giving up the normal addictive vices that I indulge in the rest of the year: caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Additionally, this year I am giving up bad, self-destructive thoughts about myself. As penance, each time I have one of these thoughts, I have to counter with at least five positive affirmations. This is proving difficult already.
Inevitably, people ask me why I celebrate Lent since I'm "not even Christian". That statement makes about as much sense to me as someone asking "Why do you celebrate Chinese New Years when you're only half Chinese?" No, I'm definitely not Catholic and, by the standards of most Christian churches, I'm not exactly Christian. But Lent has become a cultural and spiritual practice for me. It is time I take to test and challenge myself. Often my sacrifice involves food because it is such a big, enjoyable part of my life, and also my greatest obstacle and indulgence.
This year is different. Well, a bit different. I am giving up the normal addictive vices that I indulge in the rest of the year: caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Additionally, this year I am giving up bad, self-destructive thoughts about myself. As penance, each time I have one of these thoughts, I have to counter with at least five positive affirmations. This is proving difficult already.