My Prescription:  Give up
Unhappiness for Lent!

I must admit, growing up I didn’t know very much about the Ash Wednesday to Easter Lenten season.  The concept of giving up something for Lent remains on the fringes of my awareness; that is, I sagely acknowledge the observance but don’t invite the practice into my well-ordered routine.  I mean, after all, who would willingly deny themselves a much-enjoyed delight such as sugar or TV for 40 days? 

A powerful Ash Wednesday service last week changed my mind.  I learned Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar.  According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan.  Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting or abstinence and derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads as a reminder and celebration of human mortality, and as a sign of mourning and repentance to God.  The ashes used are typically gathered from the burning of the palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.

Reflecting on this experience, I also pondered the companion to Ash Wednesday: giving up something for 40 days.  A strange idea entered my mind  - what if we all gave up unhappiness for Lent?  Because, when it comes right down to it, we are the ones in charge of our reactions and our feelings.  When I am disgusted with others or disappointed with life, the main person who is unhappy is me! 

Giving up unhappiness might sound strange in a society where it seems we are directed toward negativity or what’s wrong.  For example, a recent newspaper advice column offered this letter from a man who signed his letter, Perfectly Miserable. “Dear Amy, My wife is wonderful.  She is intelligent and thoughtful and kind.  There is only one thing that bothers me about her, and it is this:  There is always one more thing that bothers her about me.” 

Don’t we see that in our world?  There seems to always be one more thing that bothers us!  So here’s a prescription I recommend you take for the next 40 days: 

o   Instead of enumerating all his faults, look for his successes.

o   Decide to cherish her versus reflecting on how much she bugs you.

o   Opt out of the gossip-around-the-water-cooler time; then remember how excited you were to have this job, any job!

o   Love your body rather than listing all its components which dissatisfy you.

o   Deliberately turn off the TV and spend an evening with the family.

            When we choose “a better way,” scientific studies prove that we actually become happier!   I challenge you to start now, mark a date 40 days from now on your calendar, and start using this prescription to give up unhappiness for Lent!