So today’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and this year like years past, I’ve decided to give up something. Now unlike years past, that something is not caffeine. Caffeine was kind of my go-to give-up thing, mostly because I want to wean myself off of it, and also because it felt like I was giving up something. Those first few days off of the juice were torture, and I was being all pious and saying things like, “The suffering of Jesus is greater than mine!”
Yeah.
Anyway, so I’m not Catholic, and giving up something for Lent isn’t part of what I must do. (Being Protestant, really, I don’t have any “musts” when it comes to religion – just, you know, Jesus is cool and all that, come to church if you feel like it!) I started the whole “giving up” thing when I was working for the Protestant Chapel Community at the University of Rochester. During my tenure there as desk monkey and gopher, I worked closely with the women of the Hillel (Jewish) and Newman (Catholic) communities in the Interfaith Chapel. Since the Jews and Catholics had much more money than the spread-out-non-denominational Protestant group, they actually hired real adults to run their office and oddly, both women were Catholic. During Lent they always discussed what they were giving up, and I always found the thought fascinating. My favorite was the time that Karen (Newman community) gave up cursing, and every time she let a little bugger slip, she donated $1.00 to the community. (If you’ve ever had to print out 1,000 alumni newsletters yourself, you understand that this is difficult.) Anyway, at the end of Lent, she and the assorted Catholic volunteers, who she had conned into donations-for-cussin’ as well, had donated something ridiculous like $150.00 to the community. So even though she really didn’t give it up at all, she did end up doing a good thing for her group.
My point is that I’ve given up caffeine for Lent for every year since my Senior year of college, and it’s just getting to be an excuse now. I say, “I’ll give up caffeine!” with the intention of giving it up for good, minus the occasional coffee meet up with friends. That goal goes absolutely nowhere and Easter morning, I run to the coffee pot and exclaim my love for coffee and never turn back. Until the next Lent.
I wanted to do something meaningful this time. Something that actually had positive consequences. I always thought of Lent as a time to reflect and meditate, and… boring stuff like that. Well, what if it’s also a time to celebrate? Celebrate the life that was given to you. Celebrate that you’re here on this green earth. I liked that thought better, which lead me to my thought of what I need to give up for Lent.
I need to give up Being Lazy™.
I trademarked that, because I have a trademark on being lazy. My lazy isn’t just sitting around doing nothing, though there’s honestly some of that in there. My version of Being Lazy™ is sneaky. Most people don’t know it, but those I’ve lived with have caught on. It’s stuff that people who spend a “regular” amount of time with me would probably not notice. Stuff like not shutting drawers or doors all the way all the time, or throwing clothes I’ve worn on the floor and not in the bin. My mother’s personal favorite is how I hold out my coat like I’m waiting for a servant to take it before let it go (she thinks I was a czarina in a previous life).
Being Lazy™ has been a trademark of mine for years, and it’s a part of my personality of which I am not a fan. I’m using this time, this Lenten season, to give up that part of my personality and to (Warning: if you are allergic to clichés, please stop here!) get started on being a better person. Get in shape. Be more mindful. All those things.
I dunno, it seems like a good idea. I signed up for the Broad Street Run with Team In Training. I am doing a Lenten Bible study online with PCC people. I’m going to try to get to bed earlier, and wake up earlier, and eat better. So far so good.
Oh, and blogging. Let’s see if I can do that.
…Maybe if I get good enough, I can give it up next year.
