Lent 2005 - Day One

Day One
It’s really about me, right? Dust to dust. Ashes to ashes. That’s my dust. That’s my ashes. I am the consciousness that is experiencing this thing called life, and when that consciousness ceases to exist so, for all intents and purposes, do I. So it makes perfectly good sense—it is logical—that my worldview be from the perspective of me first. How could it possibly be any other way?

Such egocentricity is the only really objective perspective from which to understand my place in the scheme of things. Take me out of the picture and there is no longer a picture. Of course this is not true for other sentient beings, but they are nothing more than the exterior trappings of my personal experience. It may be regarded as humane to care about what happens to these “others” but in truth I am afforded such a sentimental luxury only by caring about myself first and foremost.

Therefore, I unapologetically approach this “Lent” thing from the perspective of what’s in it for me? If the name of the game is self-denial, how is that going to benefit me? It’s nice to know that this all culminates in Easter, but how does this ancient myth genuinely assure my personal salvation? Am I going to be resurrected? Am I going to live forever? Am I guaranteed a place in heaven? You see, it’s really all about me.