Lent is one of the crazy things where I understand it and I don't. When we were young we were told to give up something. This could have been anything from giving up sweets to not watching as much TV. I was never really good at any of that when I was younger. I would think about giving up chocolate for Lent and then the next week some birthday party would come along and there would be chocolate cake and then I would just have one because everyone else was. When I was in high school it was the same. Except, now going to a Catholic school that meant giving up meat for lunches since that's what the Catholics did. Oh how I was deprived of my friday pepperoni pizza! Just kidding. Although, sometimes I would want it. Last year, I decided to give up Facebook for Lent. So many of my friends thought that I couldn't do it. In high school I was voted most likely to start a Facebook group for our class. In fact, one of the religion teachers told people in my class to vote for me because she knew I was always on there! I didn't even have to campaign. That's how much I was on Facebook. Now, I'm not going to go on a rant about Facebook.
But, giving up Facebook for Lent last year and actually following through with it made me change my whole perspective of Lent. Lent was seen as something that we should give up. But it can be about committing to something. When I gave up Facebook for Lent I was also committing to something. I was one: committing to prove my friends wrong and two: committing to taking out something that is basically a "time-waster". After I gave it up, I was so happy. So many of my friends were shocked and honestly thought that I wasn't going to make it. I remember thinking "I survived Lent". But, Lent should be a time of reflections and commitments.
This year, I decided to forgo giving up Facebook and committing to two things: prayer and getting my license. Well, so far it has been interesting. I am praying more or at least trying to be conscious about it. I'm finding different ways of praying. At first, the prayers were always about me like "please God, let me get an A on this test" or "God I'm really struggling with some things right now and I really need your help". It later turned on to praying for friends of mine who are dealing with things.
Then, my friend Anthony told me that what he does is in that little corner on Facebook where it tells you about new possible friends or connecting with someone to pray for them instead of crossing their name out. So now, that's what I do. Growing up in Christian schools my whole life we always learned how to pray. I really don't think that there's a "right" way to pray. I always heard that prayer is a conversation with God. And the more and more my Lenten journey moves towards the end, I am realizing that prayer really is a conversation with God.
As for getting my license. I'm trying to work on that. I don't think that I will get it by the end of Lent but hopefully soon after. I went behind the wheel a couple of weeks ago with my dad and I wasn't that bad. But, we'll see how that goes.
There's one thing that I'm adding to my Lenten list: being more genuine. In high school I would be nice to people, but I would really be nice. If that makes sense at all. I would only be nice to some people sometimes because I knew I could get something out of them. Wow, that sounds so mean. Hopefully, you all have been there sometime in your life doing that and you know what I am talking about. So, from now on, I am going to be sincere with the people and things that I do.
Lent for me is a time now of considerations, commitments, challenges and reflection. I hope you consider that is well. But know that Lent for everyone and even being Christian like is different for everyone.
