Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Ash Wednesday

I am not a Catholic, but I couldn't help noticing that today is Ash Wednesday. This marks the beginning of Lent, a time of penance. I remember as a kid how a lot of my friends would give up candy for Lent. I admired the resolve of the ones who actually stuck to it. I have found over the years that giving up things you really enjoy is hard! I would suspect some people give things up for Lent that they aren't that attached to to begin with, but that would seem pretty petty of me. So, in thinking about all of this, I also began thinking about what would be appropriate for someone, say, like me, to give up as a penance for my sins. I can think of several things that it would be very difficult for me to give up for the next 40 days. If you were going to give something up for Lent...or if you do actually participate....what would you give up? Your thoughts on this, please!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I am a non-practicing, bad Catholic. A few years ago I decided to give up organized religion for lent....best thing I ever did. They don't call me evil for nothing, hehehe!!

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

Hmm.. I'm not catholic at all.. So that probably looks bad.. but I don't care.. I would probably give up smoking.. or junk food.. yeah junk food..

Rachel said...

I am not Catholic but if I really, REALLY, REALLY!!!!! wanted to sacrifice I would go with Diet Pepsi. I am totally addicted and it would be really hard to give it up.
Lazy man's lent? I would give up the already hated liver & onions.

Tara said...

I'm not Catholic either, I'm vaguely Protestant. I've never given up anything for Lent, but if I did I would give up:

Coffee (ouch)
Wine (double ouch)
Snacks

I would say chocolate, but lately I haven't needed it. What's wrong with me?? :D

laura b. said...

Evil-E: I have never been into organized religion, so I can relate to the impulse to let it go. Now your evilness can flourish unfettered. bwahahahaha!

BabyBull: It would be soooo hard for me to give up junk food. It would be a genuine sacrifice, but I'd be so healthy!

Rachel:Oooohhh, lazy man's Lent. I could do that and vow never again to eat liver and onions too. I'd make sure to tell everyone about it as though I were very noble giving up all that gross iron rich organ meat....

Tara: I would have to give up those same things. Well, I think wine would be easy...and for me, I am still needing chocolate, so that would be extremely hard.

minijonb said...

i'll give up thinking about sex... damn, i just thought about it again. this is going to be hard.

FW said...

Good question L.B. I need to give up crisps, chocolate, coffee and alcohol. If I give up just one of those for 40 days I'll be happy, I said to my daughter I'd give up chocolate so I'm giving it a go.

AlienCG said...

I've given up on giving stuff up for lent. Actually, I don't know what I would give up anymore.

Poppy B. said...

I'm not Catholic, but I'm Episcopalian, and we're Catholic wannabes, so I go nuts for Lent. I gave up:

Booze!
Sweets!

and not surprisingly, what's rest of my sanity.

laura b. said...

MiniJonB: He said hard....heh heh heh...

FW: I know it seems silly, but it would be incredibly hard for me to give up chocolate. I really like it! Let me know how it goes.

AlienCG: No vices? Excellent!

Poppy: So you are really doing it! Thats cool...stay sane :-)