So tomorrow starts Lent in the Christian calendar.
Growing up, the whole “giving up things for Lent” was pretty straightforward — it was just that time of year when one Gives Up Something. The reasoning was vague in my head. Was it some sort of “I’m giving this up because I’m a Bad Person” or “I’m giving this up because Jesus gave up his life” or “I’m giving this up because the Rules say I have to give something up.”
Ultimately, I came to realize that the “giving up” at Lent is more of a “Be aware of your weaknesses, and of areas where you can improve yourself” kind of a thing. Or at least that’s how it’s turned out for me. It’s a time of reflection and giving up of stuff, not so much because giving up is a Cool Thing, but because it’s an opportunity to be a better person, to be aware of where I’m letting myself be driven by passion or “vice” in ways that I’m not necessarily comfortable wth.
The easiest things are the “giving up” — giving up chocolate, giving up sweets, giving up X, Y, or Z. It’s not so much about “giving up something,” though, as becoming aware of how I may be obsessed with chocolate, or sweets in general, or something else, to the extent that I indulge in it beyond what is healthy or productive. Or, to give it that religious spin (since it is Lent, after all), how that devotion or indulgence in chocolate (etc.) is keeping me from being what God intends for me to be — e.g., healthy, of a decent weight, more focused on helping others than helping myself to a few more chocolates from the See’s Candy box that someone brought into the office, etc.
Lenten resolves can be a doing of something, too, rather than a not-doing. For example, that one thing that your spouse is always bugging you about that you never seem to get around to on a regular basis? Or that something you keep meaning to do but never actualy get “round to-it”? Lent is a great opportunity to consider the why’s and wherefore’s of how that thing never gets done, and focus on changing that in your life.
The other thing I’m into for Lent is … not talking about what I’m doing for Lent. It’s not a matter of coyness so much as if I say something about it, then I feel like I’m doing it more for the admiration of the person I tell (“Wow, you’re giving up eating for Lent? That’s totally devotional, man!”) rather than for the sake of doing it to better myself. Pissing and moaning over what you’re doing for Lent seems to defeat the purpose. It’s either bragging over how virtuous one is being, or denigrating the value of what you’re actually trying to do.
So when it comes time for Lent (i.e., as of tomorrow, and for the next 40 days, minus Sundays and Feast Days), I look at my life, consider areas where I can improve it (be more virtuous, spiritually and pragmatically) in a straightforward, concrete way (by doing or not-doing), and then try to follow through for the time frame … the intent being that it will inform my way of life post-Easter in a positive fashion (“Hey, I learned I don’t need to indulge my chocolate cravings by stopping at Starbucks every day for a venti cafe mocha — though doing so on rare occasions would be a nice treat”).
So … happy Mardi Gras … and time to knuckle down on Lenten things.