"less vanity, more love"

In yesterday's post, when I mused on what I should give up for Lent, I was delighted that you all shared what you were doing (if anything at all).  But I particularly loved what Sarah said -- she mentioned that she wanted to be kinder to herself, particularly when it came to being critical about her appearance:

"Less vanity, more love. I guess this isn't quite the same as going without something, or giving up something now, to appreciate it more later...but still worthwhile?"

Dude.  That is some profound stuff, right there.  Less vanity, more love.  It works on so many levels.  I mean, if you think about the news that's coming at us all day long these days --  from crazy world leaders to celebrities losing the plot -- just imagine how the story might be different if people chose less vanity and more love. 

I ended up repeating that phrase to myself all day yesterday.  Less vanity, more love.  

As far as what I'm going to do for Lent, first, an admission:  I hate exercise, and always have.  But I'm also noticing that lately, I'm more sedentary than ever, and that can't be good.

So I've decided that given this, coupled with my word for the year, for Lent I'm going to make sure that I walk and/or run every day.  But here's the catch:  I only do it for as long as I want.  So some days, I might push myself to 7 miles (which is what I was doing a few months ago), but some days, it might just be to the end of my street and back.  Some days it'll just be a leisurely walk taking my camera along, maybe other days I'll push myself -- but in all cases, I'm just going to move as much as I want to do.  The point is just to breathe in some fresh air every day, and get up off of my backside.

We'll see how I do. 

On that note, and for those of you who are still buried under ice and snow and winter (Heather, honey, I'm lookin' at you), here are some shots from yesterday's walk.  Think of it as just my way of saying hang in there, and never fear, something springlike this way comes.

Have a great day, everyone.

Images:  All photographed with my Nikon D300, 50mm lens.  aperture 1.4, ISO 200; shutter speed on the first two images was 1/3200, the remaining images were shot at 1/8000.

Song:  Walk like a panther by All Seeing I