Lent is a time to strive to be less of ourselves and more of God.
-Fr. Xavier Olin, SJ
And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I don’t really know why. I usually give up something I usually can’t live without if I am asking for something from God. Like a special request to answer a prayer in exchange of a personal sacrifice. I gave up a nasty habit completely because I prayed for my husband to like me – like me. And just minutes after, he held my hands for the first time. YEAH! I gave up getting my daily cup of Tall Cappuccino from the neighborhood Starbucks to achieve a goal at work (and save some money in the process). And once just before I ran my half marathon, I gave up drinking Coke.
Today, as the Lenten season kicks off, once again I kick off the habit of drinking Coke. At least for 40 days and 40 nights. It’s been a constant struggle – since I was a kid I’ve been a Coke addict. Coca Cola. It’s like my water. When I started to get hyperacidity, I had to stop drinking it from time to time. But when I would get better, there I go again. In Sri Lanka it is one of my “happy pills.” Must be the sugar content and the nice “brrrrrrrr…” feeling a nice ice cold glass of Coke brings. For fear of hyperacidity re-attacking, I’ve reserved weekends and holidays (thank God for weekday Poya!) as opportunities to drink Coke. If it’s just a normal day, I opt for water.
Then I got this weird thought of why not just completely stop drinking Coke for the whole Lenten season? I don’t really want anything like the times when I would stop drinking Coke before. I guess because really God has made real all my deepest desires in the last couple of months. As in all. And I guess it’s just my way of “giving” back by letting go a part of myself. In return of Him giving his whole self, just so I could be saved.
So, here’s to this 40-day challenge! Sorry boys, no “brrrrr…” for me until Monday after Easter. Maybe by giving this up you get the ICC World Cup? :-)
