Letting Go of Lent

Every Lent I try to have a Lenten discipline of some sort. Giving up things for Lent doesn't so much work for me, so instead I try to Do or Be or Give or Love or Resist.

This year I'm Letting Go.

I'm letting go of stuff. Room by room, closet by closet, shelf by shelf, I'm letting things go. So many things live in my house that don't need to be here - extras of this and that, things we might need someday, more VHS tapes than anyone ever needed, clothing, accessories, books, books, and more books. Day by day I will release the chaff to the wind and keep only what nourishes our bodies and souls, and what is necessary, essential to living.

I'm letting go of expectations. My expectations of myself get in the way of my own joy, my own sense of fulfillment. My expectations of my husband are often unrealistic to who he is and how he goes about things. My expectations of my children are sometimes limiting to them, and other times too wild and free for their personalities. I'm letting them all go.

I'm letting go of the negative feelings I have about my body, in particular, my weight. It is what it is, I'm doing everything within my power to be as healthy as I can, and the rest is up to my body.

Letting go of stuff will open up space in my house for people, for creativity, for a greater feeling of home. Letting go of expectations will open relationships to greater love and deeper trust. Letting go of negative feelings will help me better love and nurture myself so I may share more love with others. Letting go will open my heart, my mind, and my spirit to God's abounding love, and to receive the great Gift he gave all of us through His sacrifice.

I'm also letting go of Lent - of how I think Lent should look or feel or be. I'm letting Lent be what it needs to be for me and for my family, as we journey through loss and change and growth and all the unexpected blessings that are the true gifts of life.