Ash Wednesday

I like the idea of Ash Wednesday. Although my particular faith family does not observe this day as holy, there is something very humbling about recognizing "from the earth you made and to the earth you will return".

There is something strange to me about a dead body. It's something akin to looking at a ventriloquist's lifeless puppet. Dead people just don't look like themselves. They look gone, distant...dead. I've never attended a funeral during which I over heard someone say, "they look so alive". This should make us aware that maybe there is something more than just cell regeneration and life giving blood holding our bodies together.

But there is a fear or maybe a longing when I see the deceased...I mean what IF they start to move?! Thank goodness I watched "I Am Legend", and "The Walking Dead" so I'm good on my Zombie Apocalypse survival methods.

Pushing zombies aside, I'm reminded of the Rich man and Lazarus, the rich man would have done ANYTHING to move or come back to life to tell his family that there was something MORE to this world than just stuff. I wonder how many times I have looked for stuff and missed the "big picture".

so Ash Wednesday is a time to remind yourself, "hey self! Don't think too highly of your glorious body or of the fantastic achievements...after all you are just DIRT.



By the way...since this is the day that sort of begins the season of Lent during which many persons of faith will give up eating meat for a period of time, take a moment to notice all the FISH meals that are being marketed.