Lent, 2009

Today is Ash Wednesday, and if you are not Catholic and have ventured out in public, you have probably seen someone that made you think, "Dude. Did you look in the mirror this morning? Who leaves the house with a head that looks like you have been doing yoga in a coal mine?" I am sure that it did not take long for you to remember that this is how Catholics start their Lenten season. I know, it could not get any more Catholic-weird than this ritual that marks us as a reminder that we are sinful and need spiritual cleansing. I do have to reinforce a truth that I live here: no one is sinful, only fearful. Fear generates all wrong doing, every unkind word that escapes our lips, every judgment, every type of harm.

Spiritual cleansing on the other hand, is something I can stand behind...and I love Lent as a time to redefine my relationship with my spirituality. I have a hard time listening to other Catholics who choose to give something up, such as some food to propel a hidden weight loss agenda, or some habit that was on their New Year's resolution list and fell through the cracks. By doing this we focus on ourselves and our ability to what? Turn your head when confronted with a bowl of Hershey kisses? I can speak for the universe here and say BIG.EFFING.DEAL.

(Deep breath)

So seriously, what will make this Lent a time to develop a closer relationship with God for me? Are you ready for this? NOTHING.

No-thing.

In a world full of lists and agendas that is fueled by the self-battering, er, I mean self-help industry, how many of us stop to do no-thing? Have you ever cleaned your slate? Erased what you decided you were that day and just let yourself be defined by the moment? By noon of every day most of us have decided that we are fat, lazy, unproductive, tired, overwhelmed and ready to check out until the next day. Have you noticed how the universe responds to this? By piling on more things that make you feel those ugly things. Our relationships with others even strain to meet this realm of negativity. This is where resentment enters into the cycle, including judgment and gossiping, leading to an eventual spiritual exhaustion.

What if you woke up each morning and said, "I don't know who I am, but I am going to allow each moment to tell me?" I have a feeling that life and God would seize this opportunity to show you things that have been hiding in your perfect soul all along. Perhaps you will discover that you are an artist because you noticed that green things are starting to peek through the snow. Perhaps you will discover that you are a terrific mom because you took a moment to build a purple Play-Doh giraffe. Maybe you can cook, when you decide to throw those questionable pea pods into a simmering pot of broth. The moment may even inspire you to stop and stroke the cheek of your partner as a way of saying, I am a person that radiates love and notice that you are a essential part of my life.

What a way to live a day! By doing any form of these things we have been cleansed, redefined, and lifted to a exceptional existence. Despite what the self-help gurus tell us, we do not need to be improved, we need to slow down our doing and our thinking.

I invite you to clean your slate with me. Let us start each day by expecting nothing, no-thing, of ourselves and the people around us.

We are blessed. Happy discovering.