It started small for me: “I’ll give up sweets”, “I’ll give up shopping everyday”, “I’ll give up Facebook”, “I’ll give up texting (to know me is to know the last two are indeed true sacrifices!!!).” And I would do it. I would read more but not really gain from the experience. And I realized why I wasn’t evolving in the ways I hoped; because, I was simply just going through the motions:
Give up for 40 days. Go shopping on Easter.
Give up for 40 days. Eat peach cobbler on Easter.
Give up for 40 days. Tell Facebook “I’m baaaaack” on Easter.
Give up for 40 days. Engage in a minimum of eight text conversations on Easter.
It didn’t matter what I gave up because I wasn’t committed to understanding and appreciating the depth of the sacrifice. And so, this year, I am.
Yesterday, I had my first Shrove Tuesday experience! For those who don’t know (and I didn’t until fairly recently), Shrove Tuesday concluded a week of deep reflection in preparation for the Lenten season. On Shrove Tuesday, many (most of Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal and Catholic traditions) enjoy a pancake supper, as pancakes are comprised of most ingredients usually forbidden during Lent. While there, I was able to have a conversation with the mother of the founder of a festival I look forward to every other year. We talked about how her son’s dream allowed me to meet one of my best friends and how that was a testament to the purpose and power of his dream. I saw friends I hadn’t seen in years. We sat and talked and laughed for hours and hours and hours (we were actually asked nicely to carry our conversations to another venue a few times). While I’d already decided what I would be fasting from during Lent, I didn’t see how my Shrove Tuesday experience reinforced I made the right decision until this morning.
For the next forty days, I will be saying goodbye to the personal use of text, BBM, chat, email, Facebook and Twitter. This is, without question, a true sacrifice! I looked at my cell phone bill a month ago. In a month, I used only 400 minutes and sent 9500 text messages. I typed to a whole bunch of somebodies close to 10000 times. I couldn’t believe it. Then again, I could. I thought about how I would often miss a phone call and follow it up with a text message. I thought it all the times I’ve said Happy Birthday through BBM. I can give you real time updates on the life and times of some of my closest friends- not because I talk to them but because I’m their friend on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Don’t get me wrong: much of my usage is for sheer convenience. I’m busy and they’re busy and, sometimes, an email/text/message/ping is sufficient. However, after last night, I realize I miss talking and laughing with my friends. There’s a humanity there that technology can’t replace. I can’t misconstrue tone in conversation. My friends can’t be confused by my meaning and intention when we’re on the phone. Most importantly, we begin to value each other differently when we take time to talk to each other. But isn’t that what Lent is about? Isn’t about sacrificing something to understand the worth of the gift in Christ we’ve been given? Not only did Christ give me the gift of eternal life, He gave me the gift of wonderful friendships. I am loved by some amazing people. They need to know I appreciate that- that I am humbled by that. A text could say it. But it would be better coming from me.
Here’s to some life changing pancakes and to the next 40 days of reminding us all of why we’re really here.
©CMB, 2011
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