Lent with the Trapp Family

I've been reading through the book "Around the Year with the Trapp Family" and came across this lovely morsel from the wisdom of Maria Trapp...

"We all should get together and work toward the
restoration of the meaning of Lent. People now-
adays see in it just a gloomy time full of 'must
nots'. That is a great pity, because Lent is a
solemn season rich in hidden mysteries. We must
also keep in mind that Lent is only part of the
great Easter season, that it is for Easter what
Advent was for Christmas, and that Lent taken by
itself would make no more sense than Advent without
Christmas at its end. Therefore we should let Holy
Mother Church take us by the hand and lead us-not each
soul alone, but the whole family as a group - away
from the noise of the world into a forty-day retreat."

I love the notion that Mrs. Trapp sets forth. A forty-day retreat. This finally explains to me why I look forward to Lent each year and though I rejoice in the Easter celebration, I miss the time of preparation that comes before it.

Yes, we should always be mindful of where we are in our journey, but somehow, the Church, in her infinite wisdom, sees to it that we set aside time twice each year to spend intensive time preparing ourselves for our Lord. Beautiful.