Growing up, the Lenten season was always easy. I went to a Catholic school so everyone there was practicing the same traditions, meatless Fridays and giving something up.
Meatless Fridays I can do. I can make simple meals that satisfy the rest of the family while I can still fast.
Giving something up? Humph! Diet coke. Coffee. Do you want to see a grumpy monster? Didn't think so. Tv. Internet. Facebook. My family would not do well without tv. I need to stay connected to everyone I love. I couldn't think of anything else that would work. I guess I could have given up chocolate or snacks at night. Maybe next year...
Last year as I thought about all these things to give up I wondered why I was supposed to do it. I came to the conclusion that it was to make me a better person. How is giving up something going to make me a better person? Yeah, I don't know either. So I decided to do something good. It stems from the philosophy: be kinder than necessary. I gave at least one compliment to someone who was not family or friend each day. It went really well. I had a few strange looks and many conversations that started because of what I had said.
So. This year I'm doing something similar. I am going to work on the relationships I currently have instead of focusing on strangers. (This kind of goes along with my New Year's Resolution.) This is a good thing. I hope this year goes as well as last year.
What are you giving up or not giving up?
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