Perception.

I spent the weekend trying to brainstorm and write an opinion piece for my school newspaper on Lent.
Talk about writer's block. Despite sitting down multiple times to try and type it out, nothing would come. From reading my Bible to stuff on the Internet, it wasn't working.

Bit by bit, I guess it came together. Having writer's block perhaps wasn't the worst thing. In thinking through it multiple times, I was able to read more about what Lent is about, and was able to ponder on what I want to give up in my life that will help me to lead a more productive and fulfilling life.

As the clock struck midnight, I decided this Ash Wednesday that I would give up soda and television.

Soda was the automatic thought, then I realized that it was a total cop out. Soda would be way too easy to give up. What was something that would actually make a change and difference in my life? If it hurt too much, then it probably wasn't good for me anyway.

For those of you unfamiliar with Lent, this explains it. The Catholic Church's Constitution on Sacred Liturgy says:

"It is by means of them that the Church prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter, while they hear God's word more frequently and devote more time to prayer."

As cheesy as it sounds, I really feel that Lent will give me the opportunity to take a step back and look at how I can use my time more wisely, and cut down on my sugar intake. More than that, I get to see how good my self-control is, whether or not I can find something else to do that's more fulfilling. I've always thought I didn't have time to read books or my scriptures, go to the gym, or get my work done.

But then, I did this calculation:

1.5 hours of television a day*40 days = 60 hours.

60 hours of time to read, to reflect, to exercise more.

I've been getting a few "But you're Mormon, not Catholic" responses to my Lenten fast. Yes, I'm not. But, the same principle applies.

The traditional purpose of Lent is the penitential preparation of the believer—through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday, which then culminates in the celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I hope that through this,  I'll have more time to prepare myself for Easter, to sacrifice just a little to, in a little way, understand what Christ had to sacrifice. But, he overcame it all, he came back, a resurrected being.

I definitely won't have that happen to me, but hopefully, I'll be just that little bit better.