Mardi Gras

Happy Mardi Gras! Today is officially the final day before Lent begins. Now, I didn't grow up doing the traditional "giving up" things as Catholics do, but it's a habit that I have developed in recent years and have really come to appreciate. It's a good way to see how much you take things for granted in life, even as simple as food. Four years ago I went vegan for Lent and then kept it up for 3 more years. Last year I gave up sucrose. This year I'm pretty sure that I will return to being vegan for the next forty or so days.

Food is a necessity in life, that is for sure. But nowadays there are so many means by which we can spoil ourselves with food or just simply become too greedy. That is my main reason for following this practice. During Lent you realize that you don't need all of the extras you thought you did and it makes you grateful the rest of the year. Also a little side perk is that you get to try foods you otherwise may not try. Becoming vegan was how I learned that I like quinoa!

That being said, I am most certainly going to celebrate Mardi Gras today.