It’s easier, I think, to give up something.
Forging a new habit, or discipline, is difficult.
The past year or so, has been quite challenging, for all of us. I’ve been working two jobs for the better part of two years, and then Covid came along. Then, in October, my now 90 year old dad was hospitalized twice, for non-Covid problems. Since then, life has been “go to work; go help take care of Dad.” The second job I had is on the backburner.
Self care has been difficult, but that’s okay. Helping my brother take care of my father has taken me out of myself. It’s forced me out of my comfort zone, and that is ALWAYS a good thing.
But now we are in the season of Lent, one of my favorite liturgical seasons of the year. In Lent, I get to do a lot of self-reflection. Lent is a season of renewal. Wait, it’s actually more than that. Lent is a season of conversion: of becoming a new self.
One of my Lenten practices is meditating on Wendell Berry and the Sabbath Poetry of Lent, put out by the SALT Project, along with scripture and the lectionary. I will write about that process in a later post.
Another one of my Lenten practices is taking up this blog again. I realize that I need to write. Feeling a little rusty, but I know the more I write, the better my writing will be.
Posting on this blog is my way adding more discipline in my life. Discipline grounds me in a way nothing else does. I thrive with discipline, and thriving is what I’m lacking. Autopilot has taken over for me, as I suspect it has for most of us this year.
Consider this my (re)introductory post. To my longtime followers: thank you for your patience. To my new readers: hop on! Join me on the journey through Lent. I look forward to renewing myself with you all!
Resources:
Wendell Berry and the Sabbath Poetry of Lent
This Day: Collected & New Sabbath Poems of Wendell Berry
Can’t Go To Mass? Participate online with Church of the Nativity!
Faith + Works 