21.2.12

Lent, pancakes, and those religious weirdos

Pancake Day. Everyone calls it that right? it's about pancakes, everyone loves pancakes, oozing syrup or with bacon (or both!) or simply served with lemon and sugar. Today is about golden pancakes. Pancakes, anyone that claims otherwise is a religious freak, a nut, someone who wants to spoil PANCAKE day with guilt and religious ideals...but maybe, just maybe Shrove Tuesday and the start of Lent is something that everyone could benefit from thinking about.

Lent. What is it any way? some odd religious thing where people 'give something up' like chocolate or coffee or booze. No fun in that, and what's the point anyway?

What ever Lent is or was it can be a time to think and reflect.

The very fact that you are reading this blog on a computer or a cell phone leads me to think that probably you are one of the 'privileged', just like me.

For me Lent is a time to think about what I have. I may choose to give something up, I may not. But I have the luxury to do it, the luxury to know that at other times of the year that thing is there for the taking, something maybe that I just take for granted like TV or beer, cheese or pies, going out by myself, driving or bubble bath, things that thousands of people in the world do not have the luxury to give up, things that many people just don't have in the first place.

Do I need to stop eating chocolate for 40 days and nights? Well it would focus my thoughts, remind me each time I fancied a nibble that I was one of the lucky few that can have chocolate if I want, that I have chosen to go with out, to be reminded of how lucky I am.

My 40 days of lent will be a celebration of my good fortune. I can choose to not use the microwave, or to not drink beer, or not drive, or not watch TV or any of a thousand things I do each week without even thinking of all the people that cannot do these things. So maybe I'll give something up, and maybe I'll be a better person for walking 40 days in someone elses shoes. Maybe I will be celebrating freedom.

I hope that your lent will be a celebration too.

Are you giving up anything? And what could you giveup (that you are not going to!) that you could celebrate?


3 comments:

  1. For Lent, I am giving up biscuits and mid week drinking. I have also promised that I will try and listen to others more, instead of blustering about shouting 'tell me later, I'm too busy'. Lent is also a time of personal reflection, a sort of getting my house in order for the coming year.

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    Replies
    1. I shall join you in giving up mid week drinking, it was supposed to a be a new me at the start of the year, but I slid...

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  2. Then we can support each other!

    ReplyDelete

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