Growing up, I had no idea that the concept of Lent existed. I’d heard of it in the vague way that I’d heard of all things associated with the Catholic church, but our family never did anything of the sort.

I’m the most “liturgical” of my family, you see. I’ve willingly attended Catholic, high Episcopalian, Anglican, and Orthodox services—though I’ve never joined any of those churches.

Something raises my hackles with the contrast between the deep administrative structure and Christian Truth.

Anyway, I first observed Lent in college. I didn’t really know what I was doing, or anything about why Lent was important. Looking back, even the concept of fasting was completely foreign.

Since then, I’ve been selectively observant. Off and on. One year I used Lent as an excuse to quit eating gluten. Another year I “gave up staying up late” and imposed a bedtime.

Since reading Antifragile and learning about the importance of fasting in the body’s healing, I feel like I understand the intent of the Lenten season a lot more now.

I’m not ready to do a prolonged fast from food, but I am looking forward to a period of renewed spiritual searching.

This year, I’m giving up YouTube.

I need a rest from inputs, from many voices with opinions and ideas about the world. I need time to seek God, and to sort through my own views of the world. I need to spend more time working on substantial projects.

There are things that I’m going to miss. I’ll probably miss the last days of Pewdiepie’s reign. I like the way that Owen Benjamin illuminates the spiritual realities of the world. And even though I don’t eat plants, I love a good food/travel video.

But it’s okay. Life isn’t YouTube. I’m not going to be completely cut off from communication with the world.

And it will be good to stretch myself.