Fast Sunday

Growing up, this is what we called the first Sunday of the month.  It’s a Mormon term, and you can confirm this by simply typing the phrase into google search.  It means you don’t east for 2 meals and donate the cost of the meals as an offering.

There was another part of Fast Sunday that I think was most unique.  The idea of fasting for a purpose.  The hunger pains you feel remind you to ponder on the person or cause you are fasting for.  I would often participate in this ritual and found it to be useful.  The fast was never about health benefits, because I feel like that has just been last 20 years where fasting is a trend in the secular world.

I don’t participate in any of the Mormon rituals these days, but I enjoy the memories of many of them because some of them are good habits and make for healthy living.  Others bring guilt and shame, but most can bring value if practiced with the right spirit.

I have a close friend and co-worker who informed me he is doing a 4 day water day fast. This same person has a serious heart condition. I love doing hard things with another person as an accountability and encouragement type arrangement.  I told him I wanted to fast with him, so here we are 24 hours into it and I am feeling it.

It started as a challenge to see if I could do it and get the health benefits of a liquid diet.  But then I realized yesterday that this week would be Fast Sunday and I felt like trying an old habit of fasting for a purpose.

So today, every time I’m hungry and passing on pleasing myself by “filling up” (yesterday’s email) I choose to think of my friend.   My friend’s heart could fail him any day. So I want to do whatever magic and voodoo there is available to me to possible send vibrations of healing his way.  Fasting this way is a metaphysical attempt to help him.  In the real world I work with a team everyday to build an AI Health app that will also assist him in his health journey.

I don’t think there are many practices from the world’s religions that are practical or very universal…but fasting for the health of someone else seems to be a benevolent practice and net positive to the fasting member and the one receiving the well-wishing.

My beautiful Natalie told me that she was always confused as a young kid on Fast Sunday because it felt like the slowest Sunday of month.

The ball last night was fantastic for my family and friends to enjoy a party together.  I resisted all the finger foods and desserts right at 7 when my friend said he was starting his fast.

Happy 4:20

Scott X