Lent: How do you do yours?

As I am working late this evening, my family enjoyed pancakes together last night. For me, the most important word in that first sentence was the word "together". Eating has huge social significance and binds us together with our family and friends. Of course, the religious connotations of Lent to the many are now superfluous. That said, a great many still see Lent as an opportunity to give something up or seek to effect some change in their lives. The aspect of self denial is one of the more ancient aspects of Lent observed religiously by our forebears over the centuries.

The pancake arose from a need to use up whatever rich foods were still left over to begin the fasting which would last until Easter. It would be very difficult to foresee that happening now if only for the simple reason that many of us would be physically sick if we really did consume all the rich food in our cupboards when we get home tonight. In some of the other great faiths, fasting is still widely observed so the concept is perhaps not such a big deal to to their followers.

In modern times as the Christian faith has become less well observed, many people use Lent as an opportunity to foresake one of their vices. Popular targets include alcohol and chocolate. If, like me, you live in a traditional market town, I am going to suggest a new target which may not entirely surprise regular readers of this blog.

I am going to make a radical proposal. I am going to suggest that every time you think "I must just pop in to Tesco/Sainsbury's/Morision's/Asda/Waitrose/Coop", step back and ask yourself one simple question. Could I get those goods (research suggests that those goods are often no more than a dozen items) on my local High Street? If the answer to that simple question is "Yes!", I am urging you for the next six weeks to support your local High Street. There is good reason for this idea.

A pound spent at a large multi-national retailer like one of the afore-mentioned, tends to leave the community where it is spent for good. A pound spent at a local independent retailer tends to stay in that community and tends to sustain a local job. The person in that local job can then spend their income locally thus supporting another person in a local job. Very simplistic but my point is made. Please give consideration to this idea and see if you can notice a difference on you High Street by Easter. This is what I will be doing and I hope you'll try and join me. Let's give local a chance for Lent and see what happens - we might even like what we see!

Lent has become associated with self denial but it is as much to do with changing habits and maybe we all need to re-evaluate some of our own choices and the legacy of those choices?