It’s Palm Sunday and the one week countdown to Easter. It’s also the beginning of our Italian honeymoon when we arrive in Venice on Holy Saturday. I can’t think of anything more lovely than celebrating Easter mass at St. Mark’s Basilica and drinking wine on the piazza. The day after Easter is also a national holiday—La Pasquetta or Little Easter—so it’ll be one big weekend of happiness. Or two full weeks of bliss for us!
I’ve surprisingly enjoyed giving up alcohol for Lent. At first, it was painful as it should be for anyone who is quasi-addicted, but the restriction actually benefitted my life more than it took away. Here are my top reasons for why I’m going to miss this five-week stint of sobriety.
1. People can’t bully you into drinking by buying you another drink, opening another bottle of wine, or pouring you more even though you don’t want more. “Sorry, I told you I gave up alcohol for Lent.”
2. I’ve learned which restaurants and bars have good non-alcoholic options.
3. I have more energy.
4. I could stay up late and wake up early.
5. I slept well.
6. I didn’t wake up with headaches.
7. I can now sincerely empathize with people who don’t drink. I don’t think empathize is the right word, but I definitely know where they’re coming from and it’s not a bad place to be.
8. I lost weight—which I can’t imagine is related to giving up alcohol since I wolfishly binged on sugar, but I definitely lost weight. Form your own conclusions.
9. I saved a shitload of money.
10. Every time I wanted to have a drink, I thought about God and my religion—which is the whole point of Lent.
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