That's my Lenten sacrifice.
I wasn't even going to make a Lenten sacrifice at first, since I feel there are few enough pleasures in my life already. But then, last Sunday, it occurred to me that I'm always yapping on about special times and special places, and about tradition, so how can I fail to mark Lent in the traditional manner?
The few people I've told about my Lenten sacrifice have been most amused by it, expressing the view that it's not exactly challenging.
My response to that is twofold:
1) Yes it is. It's heroic! I'm already "gasping" for a cup of tea, as we say in Ireland.
2) Embracing this derision is part of my Lenten sacrifice. "Humble our sinful pride", etc.
One of my earliest posts on this blog was a rhapsody on tea. I wince a little at its debt to John D. Sheridan now, but maybe I was "finding my voice" as a blogger back then!
So I insist that giving up tea for Lent is a BIG DEAL, whatever anyone else says.
If you´d want to be even more averse to this you could always add a spoonful of sugar! ;-) I got that suggestion once and it´s probably not as easy at it seems. You´d be reminded all the time, provided you don´t like it normally... (But I didn´t follow it so I wouldn´t know)
ReplyDeleteThat would conflict with my general avoidance of sugar, which I established many months ago. No cakes, chocolates, biscuits, sweets, fizzy drinks...Coke is the thing I miss the most. Trying to keep my weight down. So you see why I say I feel I have few enough pleasures to give up!!
DeleteThat seems like penance enough. I just followed the link to the old blog post on Tea, so now I got the whole picture! Giving up such a loved drink couldn´t be too easy. A few years back a good friend from Ireland gave me one such box from Lyons as you described (the first time I saw that since it´s not to be found in Sweden) and the Tea bags inside it were really splendidly tasty!
DeleteDon't torture me, dude.
DeleteOnly kidding. Yes they are!
Sorry; not intended. Glad you just offered it up!
ReplyDelete