Ash Wednesday


 The Mardi Gras partying is over.  (Not that I really partied...I did do some excessive drinking and eating over the past couple of days though.)  We've entered the season of Lent.  For me it's a time of (self) restriction (No alcohol and no chocolate...we'll see how that goes.  Some years I'm good; other's not so much.)  It's also a time of reflection.  This is my way of observing Lent.  (Your mileage may vary.)

This Ash Wednesday is gray and gloomy where I am.  What it's NOT is terribly cold, which thrills me.  While snow still surrounds me, it IS starting to melt a bit.  I take that as a big win.  (Although I don't know how long that "win" will last.)  I can actually see part of my deck.  (Not all, but I'll take it.)  Some of my bushes are devoid of snow.  My driveway is relatively clear.  (Again for now.)  A few more days like this (at least temperature wise), and I might be able to take down those Christmas lights that are buried under piles of snow.  (Oh, who am I kidding?  I won't be able to reach them until Memorial Day!) 

While the day is depressive in looks, there is hope in the air.  Could that maybe what Lent is about?

While I am not a fan of restrictions (and I don't believe God places restrictions on us), by choosing to do so, it makes me think/reflect.  Speaking for myself (because I can't speak for others), I know I often react without thinking.  (This is a big downfall for me.)  I grab a sweet treat (chocolate) without thinking.  But during Lent I "can't."  I have to think about what I am going to eat.  And every time I do so, I reflect on WHY I am doing this.  It's not something I'm doing forever, it's only for the season of Lent, and so it forces me to remember that.  To slow down and think about that.  And sadly, that's something I don't do enough.

So while on the surface it's about giving up goodies, it's really about thinking.  It's about making decisions and focusing on the why.  (Again, something I don't do enough.)

Since  Lent is only 40 days (if you exclude Sundays; I try to "keep" Lent even on Sundays because...well...I feel like that one day a week break is a bit of a cheat...but that's just me), it's not like there's no light at the end of the tunnel.  Giving up and reflection can be challenging and difficult, but there is hope.  The gray and gloomy will not last forever.  (Although I will admit that there are times during Lent when I am so ready for it to be over and it FEELS like it will never end.)  Perhaps by going through the dark and difficult times we can have a new appreciation for the good.  (Or maybe not, again these are only my thoughts...and actually they are just my thoughts for today...tomorrow they might change.)

So on this gray and gloomy (but not frigid. Thank you!) Ash Wednesday I'll enter the season with solemnness and seriousness; with self-restriction and reflection, but also with a renewed hope and inspiration.

If you are observing Lent, may it be a time of reflection and renewal for you...remember there are chocolate Easter bunnies just waiting at the end of the road.


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