So, after a weekend of reveling, we can all finally get back to real life. 40 days and 40 nights of sacrifice, that is.
That’s right. Lent.
Every year I struggle with what sacrifice to make, what to give up, how to be a better person. And every year I feel like I fall short of what I wanted to accomplish. It seems like 40 days go by so fast.
I’m not looking forward to Lent. I’m so proud of how I’ve been living by my definition of balance this year and I’m not keen on a 40 day challenge.
That’s kind of how most of us view Lent, right? A 40 day challenge. Let’s give up sweets or chips or wine for Lent, secretly hoping we drop some pounds by Easter.
This year for Lent, I’m not giving up food. I know my intentions would not be right if I gave up food. It would just turn into a preoccupation with weight loss, something I have worked so hard not to be preoccupied with this year.
Instead, I want to continue to work on who I am as a person.
I’m going to make the sacrifice of going to church on Sunday. It’s a long bike ride on Sunday mornings to the English-speaking church. I’m so exhausted from the week that I don’t want to leave my house on Sundays. But I’m going to do it.
I’m also going to try to nail down a regular volunteer position. It’s been really tough finding something and I’ve given up on the search. Time to buckle down and figure it out.
One last thing. I’m going to continue to work toward being nicer to humanity. I try to smile at people and be polite, but it’s so hard day after day when you’re crammed in the subway or have to share your seat in the morning with a stranger. Or if you’re rushing to catch your train and the lazy German is standing in the middle of the escalator step. So I’m going to keep trying; keep mustering politeness and manners and smiles. I’m just going to try to be a little nicer. A little friendlier.
Nothing revolutionary, but hopefully goals that are attainable. As I’m learning in other areas of my life, for me, it’s the small changes daily that lead to change over time.
39 days to go…