Lent 2012

I’ve never officially observed Lent growing up, but in the past few years, I’ve used this season to either give up something I enjoy or add something to my daily regimen that will benefit my well being. Last year, I gave up listening to the radio in my car. It was a simple gesture and even silly sounding to me at the time because I couldn't think of anything else, yet it yielded complex observations that I can recall with clarity now.

What I found was that my mind is incredibly active while driving and is apparently full of trains of thought that I hadn’t been aware of in other waking moments. The monkey business (what yogis call an active mind or racing thoughts) I witnessed surprised me, and to be honest was a little frightening. The content wasn’t alarming really, but my reaction to the content was. There were days when I couldn’t wait to get out of the car to escape my thoughts and then there were days when I arrived at my destination only to desire to sit with myself a while longer.

Since then, I’ve also noticed that my reactions to when someone cuts me off or blows their horn isn't reactionary at all - but responsive. I find myself acknowledging what happens versus swinging into "get back mode" if you know what I mean. Further, riding in silence is often preferred!

I challenge you to give up or add something small during Lent, and watch what happens. You might be surprised at what you find - I sure was.