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ianyan Magazine
June 1 2013
The Great (Armenian) Lent: Lessons Learned
Posted by Robert Fullam on April 11, 2013 at 3:02 pm
For some people the Lenten season passes without much thought, ending
on Easter with family and friends and people move on, go and mark the
next holiday on their calendar but I've spent the past week or so
mulling over what I've learned in this grand experiment of mine.
If you were not aware, I embarked a 40 day journey of fasting
throughout Lent, avoiding all animal products as dictated by the
Armenian Apostolic Church as well as reflecting on the values that go
along with it. My forty day trial of willpower may not have been as
epic as Jesus' forty days and nights of being tempted by the Devil in
the Judean desert but in a world where giving up chocolate or
television is considered impressive, it's worthy of mention.
The characteristics that mark Lent such as fasting, moderation and
discipline were all tangible to my atheistic mind while some, such as
reflecting on Jesus' suffering and prayer are out of the question.
Nonetheless, much what I learned is universal and made me a better
person, even if haven't emerged as a repentant Christian so I'll throw
out some examples of what I have improved on.
I've managed to commit to an exercise regimen, working out at least
five times a week for more than a week! My past attempts used to
mirror the New Year's resolutions of so many but now that I've started
a system it's become much easier. I credit a lot of this to the
fasting and because of the mindset of sacrifice, I felt I could just
as easily sacrifice my time, my energy and my body to achieve my goal,
something I will continue going forward. (Seriously, if you can keep
yourself from eating cheese, you can do anything.)
In a bid for self-reliance I learned to cook my own meals, partially
out of desire and partially out of necessity because vegan fare is not
common in the average American household. Reading lists of ingredients
became a familiar ritual as I scanned for anything containing the
words `egg' or `milk' in it. I learned to be patient and not quit the
cooking process if something goes wrong like when I made my eggplant
burger patties to large and they didn't cook all the way or I
overcooked the lentils are they became mush. (The eggplant patties
were actually fantastic when rolled up with lavash, the lentils on the
other hand were a lost cause.)
Perhaps most significant for a young adult, I made a hefty cut into my
alcohol intake, partaking in it's consumption to just one or two days
a week, with only a beer or two in each sitting. I'll drink to that.
Dietary standards aside, I found myself less abrasive, less likely to
snap at people and an eagerness to get out of my comfort zone.
The most poignant change came on Easter and the days preceding it, no,
not in a church pew but in my own home. Our family`s Easter tradition
does not have us dressing in our Sunday best but instead down on our
hands and knees wiping, cleaning and scrubbing everywhere imaginable.
My mother was given the responsibility to host Easter, a day that was
previously celebrated at my grandparent`s house when my mom was
growing up. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving and Christmas were hosted by my
grandfather`s brothers and now those days have been given to my
mother`s sisters. As I found myself scrubbing hard through the muck
and grime that has collected over the past year or so, I had not so
much a revelation but something close to it.
The simple process of cleaning the windows and floor of my deck
mirrored the changes I had made in my life during those 40 days. It
was clear that while this work was humbling I could not do I just a
couple of days out of the year, I have to do it everyday or at least
as often as I can. When I see trash on the ground I pick it up instead
of just complaining that people litter, after I`m done eating I`ll
clean the dish instead of letting it sit in the sink and I`ll take the
empty milk/juice carton out of the fridge instead of placing it back
in. These may seem like small things but they are a beginning and they
present an opportunity to live an active life instead of a passive
one, for the benefit of the environment, my family, our community and
myself. The journey did not really end on Easter, it will go on as
long as I allow it to and as far as I can tell, I'm not stopping
anytime soon.
http://www.ianyanmag.com/2013/04/11/the-great-armenian-lent-lessons-learned/
June 1 2013
The Great (Armenian) Lent: Lessons Learned
Posted by Robert Fullam on April 11, 2013 at 3:02 pm
For some people the Lenten season passes without much thought, ending
on Easter with family and friends and people move on, go and mark the
next holiday on their calendar but I've spent the past week or so
mulling over what I've learned in this grand experiment of mine.
If you were not aware, I embarked a 40 day journey of fasting
throughout Lent, avoiding all animal products as dictated by the
Armenian Apostolic Church as well as reflecting on the values that go
along with it. My forty day trial of willpower may not have been as
epic as Jesus' forty days and nights of being tempted by the Devil in
the Judean desert but in a world where giving up chocolate or
television is considered impressive, it's worthy of mention.
The characteristics that mark Lent such as fasting, moderation and
discipline were all tangible to my atheistic mind while some, such as
reflecting on Jesus' suffering and prayer are out of the question.
Nonetheless, much what I learned is universal and made me a better
person, even if haven't emerged as a repentant Christian so I'll throw
out some examples of what I have improved on.
I've managed to commit to an exercise regimen, working out at least
five times a week for more than a week! My past attempts used to
mirror the New Year's resolutions of so many but now that I've started
a system it's become much easier. I credit a lot of this to the
fasting and because of the mindset of sacrifice, I felt I could just
as easily sacrifice my time, my energy and my body to achieve my goal,
something I will continue going forward. (Seriously, if you can keep
yourself from eating cheese, you can do anything.)
In a bid for self-reliance I learned to cook my own meals, partially
out of desire and partially out of necessity because vegan fare is not
common in the average American household. Reading lists of ingredients
became a familiar ritual as I scanned for anything containing the
words `egg' or `milk' in it. I learned to be patient and not quit the
cooking process if something goes wrong like when I made my eggplant
burger patties to large and they didn't cook all the way or I
overcooked the lentils are they became mush. (The eggplant patties
were actually fantastic when rolled up with lavash, the lentils on the
other hand were a lost cause.)
Perhaps most significant for a young adult, I made a hefty cut into my
alcohol intake, partaking in it's consumption to just one or two days
a week, with only a beer or two in each sitting. I'll drink to that.
Dietary standards aside, I found myself less abrasive, less likely to
snap at people and an eagerness to get out of my comfort zone.
The most poignant change came on Easter and the days preceding it, no,
not in a church pew but in my own home. Our family`s Easter tradition
does not have us dressing in our Sunday best but instead down on our
hands and knees wiping, cleaning and scrubbing everywhere imaginable.
My mother was given the responsibility to host Easter, a day that was
previously celebrated at my grandparent`s house when my mom was
growing up. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving and Christmas were hosted by my
grandfather`s brothers and now those days have been given to my
mother`s sisters. As I found myself scrubbing hard through the muck
and grime that has collected over the past year or so, I had not so
much a revelation but something close to it.
The simple process of cleaning the windows and floor of my deck
mirrored the changes I had made in my life during those 40 days. It
was clear that while this work was humbling I could not do I just a
couple of days out of the year, I have to do it everyday or at least
as often as I can. When I see trash on the ground I pick it up instead
of just complaining that people litter, after I`m done eating I`ll
clean the dish instead of letting it sit in the sink and I`ll take the
empty milk/juice carton out of the fridge instead of placing it back
in. These may seem like small things but they are a beginning and they
present an opportunity to live an active life instead of a passive
one, for the benefit of the environment, my family, our community and
myself. The journey did not really end on Easter, it will go on as
long as I allow it to and as far as I can tell, I'm not stopping
anytime soon.
http://www.ianyanmag.com/2013/04/11/the-great-armenian-lent-lessons-learned/