302. Let’s Go Light on Lent

A Village Party: Life is tough enough without further battering

To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer

The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,

Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them:

Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1

Unlike Hamlet, I am not undecided.  With the buffets and strokes that life deals out, it would be tempting fate if we add more knocks to that- it would be like saying: “Give me more.”

Another consideration for keeping lent light is because most of us suffer from various ailments and the pain at times is incalculable; these afflictions do not go away once lent is over but they remain to plague us throughout the year.

Surely there’s enough doom and gloom in the world without deliberately inflicting more?  Yes, because in effect when we deprive ourselves of even those moments that would otherwise serve to alleviate our thoughts we deliberately inflict feelings of unhappiness into our already weighed down existence.  Yes, it does gets us down having to do things we do not wish to do... just because it’s lent. 

I’m sure the Almighty prefers a joyful sinner than a miserable one!  I’m also sure we should not burden further our lives and those around us- we, humanity, the world needs quite the opposite.

So let’s be joyful- jump and skip through those torturous paths of life with glee... if those blasted corns allows us to!