I think it's increasingly rare for us to think in terms of liturgical seasons. The seasons that occupy our imaginations are the academic ones (summer break, semesters) and the literal seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall. Lent as a season is especially difficult for us to mark. There's no large marketing campaign leading up to Easter, so in one way Lent is allowed some breathing room. It can be a truly penitential season, unlike Advent, which is historically called "little Lent" but in the modern era is a shopping season during which Starbucks releases signature drinks.
I can’t remember the last time we missed an Ash Wednesday service, it bothered me that we missed one yesterday evening and I even noticed President Biden had an ash cross on his forehead, on the news last evening. Our grand-son and his wife were here from out of town and leaving today so time with them was limited and they are not church going people which made it awkward to leave them while we attended.
I'm kind of the same, I'm not sure I've ever missed the service!
I can’t remember the last time we missed an Ash Wednesday service, it bothered me that we missed one yesterday evening and I even noticed President Biden had an ash cross on his forehead, on the news last evening. Our grand-son and his wife were here from out of town and leaving today so time with them was limited and they are not church going people which made it awkward to leave them while we attended.
Love your words on Lent....especially the backyard camping analogy!