Without the support from church friends, it definitely has been harder to keep up my aims this Lent, and also harder to stay close to God. This year, I decided to give up two things: buses and coffee. This means I take a half an hour journey to and from school by foot each day, and not rely on coffee to keep me going in the day. During the walks, I try to spend time with God, or just reflect on the day/life in general with a Christian perspective. The alone time has made me very much more aware of how God is present in school, and lets me start classes fresh with gratitude that God has given me this chance to study here.
More significantly, these two commitments have exposed my religious side to my friends, who are mostly freethinkers, even if they come from Christian families. I explain why I'm not taking the bus or not having coffee when my friends ask me, and this makes me feel vulnerable and sometimes even like I'm being judged for being 'so religious'. Fortunately, no one I've met has strong opinions about these matters. However, I do become conscious that people around me are aware of my identity as Catholic, and might consider that the next time I react in a situation or make a decision. Even if they don't, my self-consciousness reminds me that I call myself Christian because God loves me and I want to love Him too.
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