As Catholics know, one of the hardest times of the year is Lent, when you give up something you enjoy as a sacrifice for 40 days. I have been participating for 10 years and have had my fair share of times when I gave up something that pushed my temptation, even causing me to crack. I decided to make a list ranking the worst things I have given up for Lent.
1. Cursing
I will admit, I do have some strong language when it comes to expressing my feelings at home. This had been pointed out to me by family and friends, so I decided I would give it up for Lent and maybe improve my habit. I lasted one f*cking hour.
2. Fried Foods
Lent usually occurs during my most stressful time of the year for academics, work, clubs, etc. My comfort food is usually chicken tenders, french fries, coconut shrimp, or mozzarella sticks (all pretty quick to make) during a time of stress or celebration. I was able to last, but wow was it painful.
3. Sweets
I gave up sweets this year and have for the past couple of years. Again, when I am stressed or it’s that time of the month, not being able to reach for chocolate is not a good feeling. A couple of friends have birthdays during Lent, so I usually make an exception for their cake, so it is not too bad. However, I want to know whose idea it was to sell Girl Scout Cookies this time of the year.
4. Pizza
This is one of my favorite foods, and when I gave it up, I was actually doing really good. Towards the end of Lent, my class had a pizza party and it somehow slipped my mind. I just kept eating it anyway after I realized. I knew I could not give it up again because that is the only meal option on many occasions.
Overall, it is worth it on Easter morning when you can take a bite or engage in whatever you give up. The meaning of Lent goes beyond what I give up for 40 days, but sometimes that can be hard to remember.