Lent

I didn't give up anything for Lent this year. I grew up Methodist and went to Catholic school, so not giving something up is a bit of a foreign concept.



I decided that I would strive to be more present for my family during Lent. To try to say "yes" more and "no" or "in a minute" a lot less. In effect, I guess I really am giving things up, or pushing certain things and ideals to the side, to make the extra time.

My email inbox has a million unread messages and I've totally let my blogging go by the wayside, but today I read close to 100 books with the kids and played long into the afternoon at a local park. I ran through the maze, went down the slide and saved a princess from a tall tower. I love the reward of giving my undivided attention away, but I have to admit that it's hard for me to do.

I keep myself a bit too busy. I can't turn my mind off. The whole time I'm running around the park (really enjoying myself, mind you) I'm thinking, "oh, they're really playing well together, I should pull out my phone and answer some emails." I really struggle with turning it all off to enjoy life, but I'm trying to pull that back in.

The delight on my kids' faces when I told them yes, that we could read one more book, was worth all of my inner struggle to turn my brain off. And 100 books later I can list almost every dinosaur ever identified by man, which has to be worth so much more than answered emails and a clean house, right?