Bargaining: A Stage in Keeping a Lenten Discipline

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Just like the five stages of grief, I rather suspect there are five stages of keeping a Lenten discipline. Bargaining, denial, anger, depression and acceptance.

Giving up single-use plastic is proving to be quite the trial. On Day 2, I had already started bargaining with God.

Is it single-use plastic if I recycle it? 

Is the city actually recycling the stuff we put in our blue bins? (Apparently, yes, currently.)

What if it’s made of 100% recycled plastic? Is that a second use and therefore not a single use?

I fell asleep pondering this and without getting into a whole lot of detail, God sent a message in a dream: “Stop bargaining. Just do what you can.”

And that is really the thing. This Lenten discipline has opened my eyes to the ubiquitousness of plastic. I use it without even thinking. 

Stasher bags are reusable silicone bags that are replacing plastic bags

It took me a while to remember to bring my own coffee cup, my own reusable silicone straws. This will take time too. That’s what all of Lent is for.

 PS. The complete list of single-use plastic items I used I will publish on Easter Monday. Stay tuned for some thrilling (if depressing) reading.

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