Skip to main content

Easter 2024

Today is Easter Sunday 2024. This day will hold an individual meaning for each of you. It may mean preparing a huge meal for family and friends. It may mean going to church. It may mean watching the chaos and excitement as the children find the Easter eggs. It may mean all those things, or the day may be no different than any other.  

For Christians, Easter is the resurrection of Christ. It is a very important religious holiday steeped in traditions. Colored eggs are an ancient custom as part of Easter celebrations. Eggs were forbidden during lent which is 40 days before Easter. So, once it was over everyone looked forward to having an egg on Easter Sunday as a treat. 

Last year I wrote all about my Easter memories. The one thing that stands out and always will is the colored hard-boiled eggs that the Easter bunny left. They were only one color, not a masterpiece of artwork. It must have been because they sat out all night that the taste was different than any other hard-boiled egg. That Easter morning memory brings a smile to my face every time I think of it. 

Like every holiday, Easter is a huge celebration for children. It is another time for children to receive gifts, not only from the Easter bunny but from parents and grandparents. The hidden eggs are chocolate now, not hard boiled. I know as an activity many children color eggs, but they are thrown away, never eaten. Things have certainly changed since the Easter bunny used to leave a chocolate bunny on the table. 

This year my Easter is definitely different than windy, cold Manitoba. I enjoyed the daffodils blooming and the blossoms coming out on the trees. I have assisted in the making of some magical Easter decorations and the creation of some interesting baking delights. 


Easter is a time that we teach children about "believing". We train them to believe by setting up occasions that they benefit from. They believe they will get gifts and they are right. They believe each day they get up it will hold more fun and entertainment for them, as usually happens. As a child believing is easy, it is not so easy when you are an adult. Maybe we need to try harder to set up occasions where we believe more. We need to think like kids and believe something amazing is about to happen. I think adult focus goes to things like money, career, groceries, appointments or other life demands. Maybe we need to change our focus from time to time, to do what we believe is best for us. 
In closing, I am taking some time to reflect on the fact that eggs represent fertility and rebirth. Since Easter has so much to do with eggs, it must mean something as we move forward in the year. Rebirth is a new period of growth of something. Have you ever thought, if I could do a rebirth what would it be? Rebirth may mean a brand-new beginning, what would that look like? For me, I have organized a rebirth in my home. I know that will make me feel reborn just being surrounded by new. Mother Nature is busy rebirthing into spring, which is wonderful to watch. It makes us all shed our winter life and enjoy the spring way of living. I do think we all need a little bit of rebirthing. It doesn't have to be huge, just a small bit of growth. Let's just start by believing like kids and embrace the rebirth of a new season.    











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Easter Baking

Easter is a holiday that is steeped with tradition and reflection. It holds a different meaning for each of us. Every Easter I reflect on how it was when I was a kid, way back in the dark ages, and how everything has changed so much. For many families it is a time to come together to celebrate the traditions that are meaningful to them.  Easter is a sacred time for Christians as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ . Easter is known as a  time for rebirth, hope and new beginnings.                                      I doubt anyone has a family memory that can trump the "Dixon Family Egg Hunt". My Dad was one of 10 children in his family. They were never all at home at the same time, but there were probably at least 6 or 7 kids on the egg hunt each year. Their dear mother would dye 14 dozen eggs with no food coloring. All I know is beets make red eggs. Dad would speak of h...
2 comments
Read more

Final Requests

I was just rolling through Facebook as I often do, when this touching post caught my eye. A final request was made by an elementary schoolteacher in Georgia. Before she passed, she asked that instead of flowers that people bring backpacks filled with school supplies to her funeral. Her final request resulted in hundreds of backpacks from friends, family and strangers. Children she had never met will have what they need to shape their future.  At the time of death, people want to do something. Often it is a donation to a charity either identified by the family or of the donor's choice. I have to admit, I am poor at giving to a memoriam, I'm not sure why. But I would certainly buy and fill a backpack. I don't think I am alone when I say, I love creativity. I am also all in when it is for a cause and especially if children are involved.  This woman is leaving a legacy behind. She just wanted to help children as the last thing she did. She had no idea the magnitude of her reque...
4 comments
Read more

Traffic

I recently drove south of Brandon at 10:00 AM. I was in no hurry and that was a good thing because I got behind a vehicle going 60 kms in an 80 kms speed zone. As we doodled along a big truck pulls right up behind me. I was hopeful he knew I was not the cause for the speed reduction. Shortly, the slow-moving vehicle turns, and I am now the lead car. I quickly arrived at the speed limit and perhaps even above. For others it must have looked like I was towing the truck behind me, he was so close. I was closing in on another set of vehicles going slow and I knew the truck behind me was not going to be happy. In a blink of an eye, out he goes to pass me, there is oncoming traffic so close I was slowing down to let him in. He's not done; he guns it and passes the car ahead of me as well. He then swoops in between that car and a semi. Now the semi appears to be pulling him he is right behind him. Thankfully, we finally hit the passing lane, and the truck is gone like a rocket. I hope the...
2 comments
Read more