Ash

upos, originally uploaded by Farl

Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian tradition. It's the first day of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting and prayer, leading up to Easter. I have decided to observe Lent this year for the first time.

Traditionally, the fasting during Lent has been practiced in many different ways. Modern folks seem to either abstain from meat or give up a "vice" like sweets or wine. I already don't eat meat, so I will attempt to eat vegan and abstain from alcohol for the next five and a half weeks.

The way I see it, restricting your diet can have many of the same benefits as uncluttering your home. You become more thankful for what you have, and you learn what is truly essential and what is not. That's how I became a vegetarian in the first place. I didn't eat meat for a while, and I learned that I could survive without it. I don't plan on sticking with this diet after Lent ends--maybe not even for that long--but it should be an interesting experiment.

UPDATE: I'm twitting meals on the right sidebar. No photos, because I don't want to be that guy. This way you can follow if you're interested, or else ignore it.