I am giving up on giving stuff up. See ya in hell!

Today is Fat Tuesday.  The day where people indulge their glutinous selves in preparation for the Lenten Season where many will give up something-  whether it be an indulgence such as chocolate, pop, sweets, coffee, or alcohol, or something such as being negative or giving up television. In any case it seems to be  in an attempt to be closer to God or redefine their faith. I am no theologian so I will not pretend to understand why giving up your daily cuppa joe equates to Jesus in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.

I understand that the idea of giving stuff up for Lent is to strengthen spirituality through sacrifice. To put it plainly, you give up something to toughen yourself up. I personally have only given something up for Lent twice- 6 years ago- and both times it was mostly because  everybody else was doing it, and I felt obliged to follow suit. I didn't feel stronger OR more spiritual.  I felt deprived of something I wanted because everyone else said I should be doing it. It wasn't a choice on my part at all.

I have my own faith and my own beliefs and  I believe each person's faith is their own damn business and unless you get up in my face with your religious beliefs then I live and let live.  But when Lent starts- the world is full of the pious that display more self-denial than a hunger strike. Chocolate, cheese, carbs, pop, pizza, and pie…nothing is safe from the swearing-offs of the season. The judgmental and self righteous come out of the woodwork to look down upon us "sinners" shaking their heads in disapproval.

Things I should just give up

This time of year almost every conversation is started with "What did you give up?"   I used to say silly things like "Looking in the mirror" or "Wearing shoes" then I just started to tell people that I gave up on giving stuff up.  I get weird looks, nervous chuckles and some downright hostility when I say this.  Hey- like I said- each to his own- I don't judge YOU because you feel like giving up chocolate is going to make you a better person- if only for a little over a month.  So please- don't judge me because I feel like it is a pointless gesture  that unless applied to your life EVERY SINGLE DAY doesn't make you stronger at all- at least not for the long term. Again, my opinion- I don't expect it to be yours too.

I feel like I make sacrifices on an almost daily basis- I am a mom after all. But I am not expecting some grand reward for what I do. It is just what I do, It's not necessarily hard (well, not all the time) and I might be a better person for it, I would like to think so anyway.

So once again this year  I just plan to keep eating the same shitty foods, and using the same profane language that I always do. I mean- if there were a hell- isn't that what I would be doing when I went there anyway?