Ashes

As Lent begins, I am thinking (along with so many others) about what sort of penitential act I will be doing for the next six weeks. I have to admit, I'm not one who is "into" penance--I think it's probably better in our world to look at Lent as a time to develop a better relationship with God, not necessarily a time to deprive ourselves of something that we enjoy. That said, some of the things we enjoy are not that good for us, spiritually or physically.

My Lenten decision: no television. Sigh. That is going to be hard, but I think it will be good for me. Six weeks without sexy advertisements, trying to get me to buy things that I don't need and to eat or drink things that really shouldn't be part of anyone's diet. Six weeks without sitcoms that focus on the characters' sex lives. Six weeks without the blood and guts of CSI and Law and Order. Even six weeks without the latest poll results for the upcoming election.

Six weeks of reading books! Praying more. Cleaning my kitchen more often. Exercising. Reading books (!).

The hardest part for me is the silence--living in an apartment alone is very quiet. I hear the tic-toc of the cuckoo clock, but little else. Again, that means more time for prayer, good solid habitual prayer.

My hope: that by the end of Lent, I will be ready to give away the television for good.

(I was thinking also about shutting down the computer--clearly something that has not happened. But I think that computer/internet use will be curtailed as well.)

Happy Lenting!