Lent

I’ve never been a religious person and even I was more so, I was never very into it. Case in point, what I gave up for Lent. Usually, not much. In high school, myself and my mates had small competitions to see who could come up with the most silly thing to give up.

But I regress, as I’m getting ahead of myself. What is Lent? Let me preface this with: I’m not religious and have no intention of using this site as a bulletin board for that sort of garbage. In fact I am very much against organized religion, especially if it has to do with Tom Cruise. Anyway, Lent is the forty day period prior to Easter, where Christians practice ritual fasting and give up something, in honor of what happened to Christ. The fasting has been reduced to Friday by Americans, I think, and now for most it means that they don’t eat McDonald’s on that day. While many do follow this whole-heartedly, many don’t. For example I gave up smoking in the 4^th Grade, beer in the 5^th, sex in the 6^th (for real!) and watching the Lifetime network throughout most of high school.

Anyway, I’m impressed with my cousin. The 14 year old has given up video games for Lent. This from the kid who is thoroughly addicted to Xbox Live Halo. I am completely floored not so much by the idea, which crossed my mind at least for a few seconds before each Lent season (there are like 18 seasons in the Christian calendar), but rather for the dedication he has to seeing it through to the end and finishing it up in style. Well, Andrew, it’s the home stretch, kid. Next Sunday, you don’t have to come to dinner, you can play until your eyes bleed and they probably will since you haven’t played in over a month! As for me, I have been having severe withdrawal being separated from the Farmer’s Almanac, but I think I can manage for another few weeks…