ent is supposed to be an emotional
and spiritual cleansing of the mind
and body. For me, it is the hardest test of will power I will ever endure.

Coming from a Christian background, I knew this was going to be difficult. I have tried before but failed miserably each time.

Lent is a 40-day period in which Christians honor the Lord through fasting and prayer. My church does things differently when it comes to Lent. We complete the Daniel’s Fast.

The Fast consists of giving up an unhealthy food each week until you are left with fish, vegetables, fruits and water. For example, the first week I couldn’t eat any fried foods or things that had saturated fats. It is a hard task to do when I drive past the Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop on my way to Bible Study.

To add to the list, I had to give up an obsession that I have. Facebook. A Web site known to many as a way to escape school and to chat with friends for countless hours. I do miss that blue and white screen. Surprisingly, giving up Facebook is easier than eliminating food each week. I love to eat so taking away my favorite foods is like ripping my heart out of my chest. I guess the veggies, fruits and water can fill the gap in my body.

I have gone through a lot of torture. I remember on the last week of February, I went to a party. Everybody brought some treat that was filled with sugar. Guess who couldn’t eat anything. That’s right: me. I tried to avoid people, but it was inevitable to see someone chewing on a fudge brownie.

In addition, during lunch, my friend Cyrus always talks about how he wants a specific dessert at that moment. On March 7, Cyrus talked about how he wanted a fresh batch of strawberry shortcakes with the cold whipped cream and the gooey strawberry glaze on top. At that moment, I wanted to get some duct tape and tape his mouth closed.

During this process, I did mess up my fasting. It was the week I had to add any caffeinated drink to my "avoid food" list. My mom brought a Styrofoam cup from her job. Within the cup, there was Sprite (which is my favorite soda.) My mom gave me the cup, and I began to drink it. I realized that it was the sugary drink, and I repented immediately. I felt so distraught that I actually swallowed it.

There is a plus side to my journey. I became more spiritual and more comfortable with myself. I lost a couple of pounds and inches from my waist. Most importantly, I am a renewed person. I am happier now, which takes the cake in this whole process.

As I continue this Lent tradition until April 4, Easter Sunday, I hope to finish with a better body and a better mind.