The Nature of Sacrifice

Tis the season of Lent. Despite the fact that I have some serious misgivings about religious Christianity (spiritual Christianity is a completely different story), I value the spirit of this season and the character traits it nurtures - discipline and sacrifice.

I decided to do a little bit of research into the origins and practices of Lent. Being raised in a Catholic environment and having attended Catholic high school, I know somewhat about the raw spirit of Lent, but very little about past practices and the reasons behind them. I had no idea that the practice of fasting during Lent may have had practical origins - it just so happened to occur during a dry period in agriculture and quality meat production in Middle Age Europe.

What vices can I abstain from? Here's a list of things I've thought of:

- Coffee (this would be incredibly difficult).
- Facebook (ack, so hard!).
- Meat (a Middle Ages tradition).
- Any misc. purchases that aren't necessities (would this include dance tuition?).
- Parking at a pay lot (it might sound silly, but it would truly be a sacrifice).
- All processed foods.
- Heat above 65 degrees (aiieee!).

I would like to get away from my tendency to sacrifice in the spirit of self-improvement or self-aggrandizement. It seems like it defeats the purpose of sacrifice in the first place. I should choose something that would be difficult for me to give up, but wouldn't affect my health, fitness, aesthetic appearance, and that wouldn't give me an excuse to be self-righteous. Sacrifice should be humble. Discipline should be free of boasting, consistent and embraced without complaint. Donation should be quiet.

Lack of coffee would mean sluggish mornings and unproductive days - perhaps a harmful sacrifice in a way. Abstaining from Facebook would be like a detox, but the poison is so sweet. Giving up meat would be an unhealthy sacrifice for a physically active person, and I don't eat enough meat as it is. No pay lot parking would mean my exposure to the elements during the long walk from my parking space to my workplace and possible "suffering." I have a love/hate relationship with that idea. I feel like we as coddled, plugged-in Americans don't find ourselves at the mercy of natural cycles like we should. Food companies hire food scientists to create concocted edibles that are easy to procure and leave us bloated, fat and desperate for more. Our cars, manufactured bubbles of conditioned air and soothing music, block out unpleasant sounds and bothersome weather. Summer fruits are imported from Argentina during winter months.

I think I'm going to try to allow some nature into my life through my sacrifices. I will abstain from processed foods. I won't pay for parking. No heat over 65 degrees.