My very best Lent was back in the early 90s when I gave up guilt.  I decided to be conscious about how many times a day/week/month I felt bad because I was letting down my kids/husband/friends/neighbours/community/the world in general and it was a lot.  So I quit for Lent and have never been that guilt-ridden again.

This Lent is going to take me right up to my next appointment with the specialist.  Tests will have been done, MRI results in.  This is a big ask, but I’m going to stop worrying about it for 40 days and spend that normal worry time working on my spiritual life. If any of my symptoms change I’ll just go to my gp.

Simple?  No.  But that’s why it’s a good thing to do for Lent.  It will require a little faith, a little hope and a lot of discipline.  I will have to interrupt my own thoughts regularly.  I will practice deep breathing and pray as best I can.

What does this have to do with food/body sanity? Everything insofar as stress leads to out of control eating and fear of illness leads to a “who cares” attitude about caring for my body.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

By the way, if the best Lent was when I gave up guilt, the toughest was the one when I gave up coffee.  I don’t think it made me a better human being or drew me any closer to God.