As a born and raised Catholic who went to Catholic school from Pre-K through Senior year of high school, Lent and Ash Wednesday are part of life. It is customary to "give up" something during lent and the first thing I can remember "giving up" was gum! I was in third or fourth grade and I do remember that I was successful but that it was hard since I chewed gum A LOT. This year since I am already "giving up" some things for 40 weeks I decided to eat more fruits and veggies which helps both me and this little peanut inside me.
I'll also keep up what I do every year and be even more thoughtful than normal about how I treat others. See my family is not the type of Catholics who read scripture, we were taught our faith through actions. My parents very specifically taught us the Catholic belief of social justice and instilled empathy and kindness in us. This translates into my everyday life as I try not to judge others before knowing them and I never assume someone's situation in life based on a first impression. During Lent I always try to be even more polite and smile more at people who look like they need a smile. I believe that just being nice to someone and telling them to have a good day can help no matter how small the action and reaction may be.
So for those Catholics out there ready to "give up" for lent, and for those who just want to help this world to be a little nicer, remember to think before you act and to smile just a little more...
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