Towards the end of the first month of this year while perusing the February 2024 calendar, my innocent curiosity led me to delve into the peculiarity of this particular month. I discovered that February 14, the supposed day of love, is Ash Wednesday.
Firstly, this fact informed my usual monthly messages to friends and family. ‘February means “purification,” reflecting both pagan and Christian traditions of purification during this month. While the modern celebration of February is often associated with Valentine’s Day, the ancient world viewed it as a month of purification. As January closes today, we must ask ourselves what we desire to do with the fire of God’s love in us—to purify or contaminate; to renew or waste; to set ablaze or quench. In fact, Love’s Day has a difference this year—Feb. 14 is also Ash Wednesday. Let me think out loud… What are we preparing to do for the sake of love this year? Happy February, dear friend. ❤
More also, before February began I was inspired by a publication on how a 30-day or 120-day commitment can affect one’s life forever. I was reluctant to give it a try, yet a mixed feeling pulled an inner trigger in me to give it a shot. And surprisingly, it was a nice one eventually.
I made the content of the 30 Days Commitment mine, especially as it resonates with my peculiar experience as a student. I did seven things to ensure I have a sense of completeness in mind every day. In fact, these days were marked by the Lenten season of the Roman Catholic Church. Bearing in mind the pillars of Lent—Fasting, Almsgiving, and Prayer—I did more. Intentionally, I chose to practice the following seven things for seven multiplied by three times plus another seven days. These figures are symbolic because I desire it to be an exercise with a unique sense of completeness.
N.B.: Anyone can decide what works for him with the aforementioned transformative habits. You need not adapt it hook, line, and sinker, perhaps because of your situation or condition. But anyone will do immensely well and greatly if the spirit behind these powerful snippets or rather daily commitment is made incarnate or concretized in one’s peculiar experience.
Challenges surely came…
I must confess that many of challenges came like never before. From ‘friends’, even friends and those who think I will never succeed, those who offer free discouragement… What did I make of them? Stepping stones, walls of resilience, focus, multitasking skill, self-dependence, discipline, consistency, diligence, and more were all I made of it. There were conscientious and deliberate efforts harnessed to really change my worldviews and life for the better. Once I realized that there is no gravity for the mind, I never ceased to be an Oliver Twist—though as the one who wants the best of every experience regardless of my limitations and conditions. In those days, it was motivation to never allow the fear of losing become greater than the excitement of winning.
Personal Little Extra Efforts Make the Difference
And it was a win eventually. A win filled with many little losses and failures that were not capable of dispelling the driving force which led to the goal. My extra efforts were the coatings in Lenten colorings. For prayers or what I would rather call in my own coinage ‘Prayer-Ton/Novena Commitment’, fasting and mortification served as the protecting surfaces wherein God mediated his mighty power to love and save and even bring to completion what was begun with Him, continued through Him and in Him. For this reason, I can say a thousand times that no one should ever underestimate the power of littleness—our little efforts before God, our acceptance of our littleness, and acknowledgment of His Greatness even when we have given all our best. And these little things, faithfulness in them always make and will ever make the difference.
Disclaimer
Finally, I must say here that I do not, however, claim that all I have written here are the absolute snippets of wisdom to get a life focused on progress and success. But I would rather say I intend to whet the appetite of the minds of our present generation who are often challenged with the neo-societal standards of trading little commitment, consistency, discipline, and diligence on the platter of comfort, pleasure, and cheap popularity. And now, let it be known that the former generation did not leave them to follow the cheap falsehood sold by our current society… And that they may be aware as we also know in the words of Hotaling that: “Becoming is better than being.” And that they may say that they were taught that ”the fixed mindset does not allow people the luxury of becoming.” That they may be aware that there is a growing culture of laxity, mediocrity, and minimalism which render perfection and even excellence almost impossible.
Subscribing to the words of Les Brown here, which “Perfection does not exist—we can always do better and we can always grow.” Even Vince Lombardi will affirm that “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” And that is the point, society has almost made excellence a thing that exists in the outside world and the quest for perfection becomes a no-no.” However, it is important to know and make others realise that our little daily choices for others’ holistic wellbeing and their total development goes a long way to demonstrate our sincere love forthe common good, desire for perfection and more importantly our love for the creator of all being.
