Lent and the Chocolate Puffs Lesson

In my previous life as an outdoor adventurer, many lessons were learned as I trudged through the harsh environment of what can only be described as extreme back-packing. It is no secret, for example, that when you hike for several days in, say, the Grand Canyon, every ounce you carry matters. This is simply because every ounce you carry is felt in every step you take.

So on just such an adventure, I packed a light-weight sunscreen stick to replace any bottles or tubes. I worked out a plan to share cooking utensils to help lighten the load. I even chose to forego a tent—just too much weight—and opted to sleep under the stars each night.

But when it came to food, I made some poorer choices. I had easily snacked on protein bars back home in the flat lands.  I soon learned that in the desert---these same treats were about as palatable as hockey pucks! They were not only heavy in my pack—they sat heavy on my stomach.

As I tried to choke down these compact little bricks, I found myself increasingly mooching off a fellow hiker. She had wisely packed a mixture of peanut-butter and chocolate puffs that was so much easier to consume. Her snack was much less complicated than my dense protein bars. And yet, my body was fueled just the same. I thought to myself—aha! Sometimes simpler is better; sometimes lighter is preferred.

During this season of Lent, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about the idea that “sometimes less is better.” Little by little, I have been decreasing the number of distractions in my life that slow me down. Some of those distractions are the radio and TV---some of them are foods that make me feel sluggish. As my days become quieter, and my meals become cleaner—I find that my senses are becoming sharper and my steps are become lighter.

Recently, I came upon the following quote:

“Great design is eliminating all unnecessary details.” – Minh D. Tran

I pondered the notion that as God designed us to be great and wonderful, perhaps we just need to strip away some of the unnecessary details---the stories and lies we choose to believe about ourselves—that only serve to weigh us down.

Sometimes it is best to just go with the basics—the simple truth of who we are—or the simplicity of chocolate puffs and peanut butter that can power us onward as we continue to march forth.