The forty-day period of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and leads up to Easter. Eleanor will observe Ash Wednesday, like every year. I think Frank will accompany her to the Church this time around. But Ash Wednesday is not just for the religious or the church-goers. If you want to take it on a personal level, you can do the same too. Eleanor pointed it out to me the other day. She sensed that I was not really keen on going to Church. She supported my stand and told me, “Don’t go if you don’t want to, Bob. This is something very personal. Just don’t turn up for the heck of it.”

I quizzed her further, if she thought that days like the Ash Wednesday was only for the religiously inclined. She said, “No, definitely not. You can reflect on your life and observe these days in a personal way. The trick is to reflect and realize. You can also take that as a period of repentance and prayer. And you don’t have to speak in Latin to say a prayer !” I think she really makes sense. I have always been against any sort of dogma when it came to religion. I want to do what I feel like, and I think Eleanor put the right words to my expression.

Do you agree with Eleanor? How religious are you? Do you observe Ash Wednesday and Lent? I’d like to know.