Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season, when I elect to sacrifice a behavior or trait or habit. I consider repeating sacrifices I’ve made in previous years: pessimism, criticism, doubt, anxiety. These are behaviors that diminish me and separate me from God – or the whole person He planned. Some people give up Facebook to devote the time to prayer. Some people give up simple things like soda or chocolate, things that they use as crutches (maybe instead of leaning on God).
Given I am such an independent creature, I am asked daily to submit to God and his will in my life. Not everything is within my control nor is everything my responsibility (or fault).
I stumbled upon this TED Talk about emotional health and I came to my short list.
I am going to give up loneliness. Loneliness can kill. It can break a heart and a soul. And it can be given up. By sacrificing my loneliness, I accept communion with others, I welcome them into my world. I stop making the list of reasons for why I am alone. I stop believing I deserve to be alone. I learn that I am never alone and therefore can’t be lonely because God is with me.