Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday. It ushers the 40 days observance of Lent. Lucas and I attended mass at 7 o'clock this morning and received the mark of ashes on our forehead. Today Catholics are supposed to fast and abstain from eating meat. Because of my age, I am also supposedly excused from fasting already. Yet I think I am still able and capable enough of practicing self discipline, so I shall continue to do so. It is really not as hard as how the muslims do it. We Catholics are allowed two light snacks and one full meal. This morning, I ate half a pandesal with sardines filling and drank a cup of honey beverage. For lunch I had banana soup and two servings of tilapia and water. It's not so bad. I am not feeling hungry, except for that particular time when I went to Gateway Mall. The many food display there made me salivate. Haha! I shall have my full meal tonight.
Today makes me also think about last year's Lent. If I recall right, the first Friday of Lent last year, Japan was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami. Although it really happened in the month of March. I heard the horrifying news from my sister-in-law Jean on my way to Mount Carmel Church. For the culmination of Lent 2011 however, I was in Seattle together with my husband Lucas, my sister Helen and my children Roy and Marion. I went to church in Seattle and spent my Easter Sunday in Skagit  tulip farms. How time flies.............