Categories: orthodox-life, australia
Date: 11 March 2009 23:31:51
Definitely a chill in the air each morning now; autumn is settling in and winter -- or at least what passes for winter here: 15-20C most days -- will soon be with us. I like the cooler weather. I love the chill in the early morning air, or being at home in the evening and reading a book with a nice cup of tea, or cocoa if I am feeling particularly extravagant.
We've had a bit of rain as well, which is welcome. Again, reading at home while it rains outside is a small pleasure of mine. And after long stretches of dryness, it is nice to see the grass green and flowers alive again.
I am also feeling a bit 'autumn': tired, rather like I want to hibernate, and, perhaps like a tree, wanting to shed the dead leaves of my life -- things which are not helpful or which I feel are holding me back. I am having my own feeble attempts to enter into Great Lent more seriously -- though I am nowhere near following the ideals set by the Orthodox Church. I am lowering my intake of food as well as, trying, to stay clear of dairy; living at home and with a family of carnivores, meat is frequently cooked -- but I try as best I can to avoid it when at work or out. And I make an effort to at least have some regular prayer and spiritual reading [one chapter of Luke and currently some chapters of The Arena] each day. And I try to keep at bay the irritability that so often rises up within me. It is a continual struggle...but one I keep at. As Fr Alexander Schmemann wrote in his book Great Lent [I wish I had it with me so I could quote verbatim], Lent, and life, is a struggle; and we are not too simply give up once we fall, but pick ourselves up and try again to achieve that for which we are striving. May God help me, and all, in this.