My Lenten sacrifice

I have never observed Lent until this year, but I wasn't sure what things were considered worthy sacrifices. I can vaguely remember friends over the years telling me some food or drink they'd give up during the period of Lent, but I honestly never thought about it any more than to utter a response of, "Good for you!"

But, since losing Ryan, my outlook and perspective on religious rituals has been reshaped to better appreciate their significance and the role they play in my life.

I've thought long and hard about what I would give up for those 40 days - something that would truly be a sacrifice ... an indulgence that I would push aside out of respect to honor this sacred period.

I chose chocolate candy.

Okay, maybe it's a feeble attempt and not the most spiritual or respectable of choices, but it's something that I over-indulge in far too often, and it would humble me to go without it for a while. I know, I could've chosen to stop eating chocolate candy at any time - no one puts a gun to my head, forcing me to widen the girth of my ass by consuming massive amounts of chocolate - but right now feels like the perfect time to make this commitment to myself and to my somewhat-shaky faith in the Lord above.

Of course, how silly and naive of me to forget that Lent kicks off the commercially driven Easter season. And, with that, the grocery and department stores begin their crusade, urging consumers to make the biggest and grandest Easter baskets they can dream - which means aisle upon aisle of chocolatey goodness just begging to be chosen.

Shit!

Well, maybe my choice of sacrifices wasn't so empty after all, given that I'll need to exercise major restraint while these delectable treats are paraded in front of me in the form of newspapers ads and TV commercials. If that doesn't take willpower to a chocolate-lover like me, then nothing does.

Oh, how I want to chomp the ears off a hollow chocolate bunny right now ...