Forty Days of Trial

Hello, Everyone!

Today is Ash Wednesday.  For Christians, this day symbolizes the beginning of Christ's 40 days of fasting in the desert before he began his ministry.  Lent is the name we give this time spent in contemplative prayer and self-sacrifice that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday (the joyful day on which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus...and I have no idea where the eggs and rabbits came into it).

Though my religion is not the focus of this blog, it is the motivation behind both my veganism and my desire to share that veganism with others.  For me, Lent is the perfect time to buckle down and refocus my energy on introspection and an examination of my conscience.

Whatever your religion or belief, there is benefit in this practice.  We, all of us, can improve.  We, all of us, have character flaws to examine and work on.  Self-examination is the only way to mature - to grow.  Being a "good" person is easy, and the judgment of that condition is entirely subjective.  Meditating on what you believe being a good person really means and then orienting your life to be better than you are has actual meaning.  Too few people ever look at themselves in a meaningful way, and I think lives never examined are lives wasted.

I will be spending this week finishing up two posts.  The first will be about kale.  The other will be about my current personal struggles with veganism and faith.  I hope you will all indulge me in one or two spiritual posts per year.  After all...it is my faith that led me to this place, and I cannot separate my veganism from my belief in God.  Without that belief, I wouldn't be vegan.

A contemplative, safe, and blessed Ash Wednesday to you all.