I’m not exactly the most active Catholic out there, but a few weeks ago I made up my mind that I was going to give up something for Lent this year, and take it a little more seriously than I did last year when I gave up dating.
This year I’m giving up alcohol.
Next to coffee and Diet Coke, alcohol is the third item on the list of things I’m loathe to give up, and that’s probably why I should give it up for Lent. I’ll admit, I’ve been doing a bit more drinking than normal lately, partly out of boredom and partly as a response to stress. Giving booze up for Lent and forcing myself to find other ways to relieve stress or entertain myself should be a good, constructive experience.
I’m a little concerned that I won’t be able to do this, partly because of the failed attempt at Dry June last year, when I had two other friends doing this with me in the middle of the summer and only made it 11 days. This time I’m pretty much on my own, and there will be plenty of reasons to miss beer: Oberon Day, at least two Brewfests, and a good friend’s birthday all fall between now and Easter (although the brew day won’t be all bad; I’ll still drink the delicious, unfermented wort).
My reservations about giving this up, though, tell me I’m probably doing the right thing. I’m interested to see whether I still have the tolerance to do this, and I figure there will be at least a few other benefits to going dry for the next 40 days as well; it should save me a little cash and help me lose some weight, which I really need to start doing.
So, here goes. Wish me luck!
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