It is very strange to be able to get ashes on your forehead and have people outside of school NOT look at you and say "Ummm... did you know there's like, dirt on your forehead."
This is not me by the way, it's my roommate. Unfortunately, all the services today were inconveniently while I was in class. I may not be a very good or regularly church going catholic, but there are somethings, such as: Ash Wednesday, not eating meat on Fridays for the next 40 days, going to church on Christmas, and giving up something (dessert!) for Lent that are never going to be stamped out of me.
I will say though, this is the first year I've tried fasting (one regular meal and two half meals) for Ash Wednesday. The Guidelines To Lent suggest kids start fasting at 14, when they are old enough to understand what they are doing. However, for 4 years of high school I was gearing up and starting to condition for the upcoming Track and Field season, and as Coach AJ would say, "Sprinters do NOT fast. I WILL NOT have you passing out on me because you decided not to eat lunch." Last year I wasn't running, but I was still in my Revolt From Oppressive Catholic High School stage and could care less about Church observances.
Now that I've gotten over myself and had one or two realizations (while running... there's lots of time to think over the course of 7 miles) I'm back to being proud of my Catholicism. And while I'll probably never go to Church every Sunday again, I am going to be eating celery and carrots for dinner.
Bummer.
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