I Won't Give Up....
I was raised Catholic. I went to Catholic grade school, high school, college. I even wore a plaid uniform. It was attractive.
But I don't go to church on Sunday and I haven't been to confession since I was 14. I don't subscribe to EVERY aspect of the faith. Even still, my Catholic upbringing is a part of who I am at my core.
I had a Catholic wedding. I sent my daughter to Catholic school. I pray the Hail Mary every time I'm on a plane that is taking off (this is more OCD, I can't stop it). And I try really hard to not eat meat on Fridays and make other sacrifices during Lent.
Back in my day - it was 40 days, no ice cream, no exceptions. Now there are people who have all these rules about how you can eat the ice cream on Fridays or Sundays. I'm not buying it.
It's not that I think that I am going to hell if I have a chicken leg on one of six Fridays a year. But it is the least I can do for a little spiritual cleansing of my soul in preparation for Easter. It's a symbolic sacrifice. And a sacrifice doesn't have a "get out of jail free" card. It's all in baby.
A couple of years ago, I gave up pizza for Lent. It was more of an effort to make myself cook instead of ordering out so much. I did it. The whole 40 days. And I had Papa Johns scheduled to be delivered at the stroke of midnight on Easter. It didn't even taste that good.
I've been on a bit of a personal journey for the past few years. It's all part of that inner magic that I am working on. I used to be extremely negative and unhappy. I ranted a lot about things that didn't matter. I was angry. I really wasn't my biggest fan. I always wanted more than I had and to be someone I wasn't. It's easier to be crabby than to look past something that is REALLY insignificant. But one day I decided it was no way to live and started to change my attitude. It's not always easy. Some people in my life make it really hard sometimes. It really takes a lot of self awareness, self patience, self reminders.
I'm still a work in progress and always will be.
That brings me to today. Today is Ash Wednesday. The first day of Lent for 2019. I'm not super religious, but I am spiritual. I do feel that some things are very good for the well-being of the soul and I do feel that cleansing my soul is part of my inner magic. But giving up pizza - well - it just doesn't do much in the long run.
Except to maybe my back side.
I feel like, for me, it's better for my soul to put more positive energy into the world. And sometimes I have to start with myself to make that happen.
So here is my Lenten promise:
I won't give up on myself.
I won't give up on you either.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving myself.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving you.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving this one life on earth.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of spreading joy, smiles and positive vibes in this world.
I am trading 40 days of wishing I had something that effects nothing for 40 days of choosing something that could effect everything.
Oh. And I'm trading 40 days of hitting the drive thru at McDonald's for coffee for 40 days of free coffee at the office. But this is strictly for financial reasons. I promise. Those things add up.
But I don't go to church on Sunday and I haven't been to confession since I was 14. I don't subscribe to EVERY aspect of the faith. Even still, my Catholic upbringing is a part of who I am at my core.
I had a Catholic wedding. I sent my daughter to Catholic school. I pray the Hail Mary every time I'm on a plane that is taking off (this is more OCD, I can't stop it). And I try really hard to not eat meat on Fridays and make other sacrifices during Lent.
Back in my day - it was 40 days, no ice cream, no exceptions. Now there are people who have all these rules about how you can eat the ice cream on Fridays or Sundays. I'm not buying it.
It's not that I think that I am going to hell if I have a chicken leg on one of six Fridays a year. But it is the least I can do for a little spiritual cleansing of my soul in preparation for Easter. It's a symbolic sacrifice. And a sacrifice doesn't have a "get out of jail free" card. It's all in baby.
A couple of years ago, I gave up pizza for Lent. It was more of an effort to make myself cook instead of ordering out so much. I did it. The whole 40 days. And I had Papa Johns scheduled to be delivered at the stroke of midnight on Easter. It didn't even taste that good.
I've been on a bit of a personal journey for the past few years. It's all part of that inner magic that I am working on. I used to be extremely negative and unhappy. I ranted a lot about things that didn't matter. I was angry. I really wasn't my biggest fan. I always wanted more than I had and to be someone I wasn't. It's easier to be crabby than to look past something that is REALLY insignificant. But one day I decided it was no way to live and started to change my attitude. It's not always easy. Some people in my life make it really hard sometimes. It really takes a lot of self awareness, self patience, self reminders.
I'm still a work in progress and always will be.
That brings me to today. Today is Ash Wednesday. The first day of Lent for 2019. I'm not super religious, but I am spiritual. I do feel that some things are very good for the well-being of the soul and I do feel that cleansing my soul is part of my inner magic. But giving up pizza - well - it just doesn't do much in the long run.
Except to maybe my back side.
I feel like, for me, it's better for my soul to put more positive energy into the world. And sometimes I have to start with myself to make that happen.
So here is my Lenten promise:
I won't give up on myself.
I won't give up on you either.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving myself.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving you.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of loving this one life on earth.
I am trading 40 days of sacrifice for 40 days of spreading joy, smiles and positive vibes in this world.
I am trading 40 days of wishing I had something that effects nothing for 40 days of choosing something that could effect everything.
Oh. And I'm trading 40 days of hitting the drive thru at McDonald's for coffee for 40 days of free coffee at the office. But this is strictly for financial reasons. I promise. Those things add up.
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