Lenten Blog (Ash Wednesday!)

Although I’m not Catholic, I have grown up in the Catholic schooling environment, so I have always recognized that around this time of year is when people start giving things up. I remember in grade school it was almost a contest to see who could give up what. I understood that one had to make sacrifice, but I did not understand why. What confused me more was that there were a certain day each week (I believe people said it was on Sundays) where one could break their promise. It confused me because why would one make a promise and then break it without a legitimate reason (I am sure there is an explanation to this, but I do not know)? With people giving things up, I always felt a little pressured to say that I gave something up too because I thought be giving something up, it would make you stronger because you were practicing willpower. But then came a time, when one of the religion teachers pointed out that instead of cutting something out of your life during Lent, one can choose a more proactive approach such as acting better and being more considerate of other people. So although, I am not Catholic, I like to participate in Lent because I see it as an opportunity to better myself through people around me. This Lent I intend to keep a positive attitude around other people as well as try to be more helpful in my family. During the liturgy today a reader stated that “it is not what Lent does for you, or what you do (or give up) for Lent but rather what Lent does for other people through you; I agree with that ideology one hundred percent.