I sat and drank my coffee in complete disbelief. I felt like I had just gotten a visit from the Ghost of Easter Past. Memories of getting up at dawn and dressing in our Sunday best to head off to church for several hours flashed back into my mind. The visions of watching the sun rise and shine through the stained glass windows came back to me, too. Although I was too young to remember the Catholic Easters, as I got to college, several of my friends frequently practiced the holiness of Lent: 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, in which I participated too. A more modern practice of Lent can be several different layers of the three elements, or simply giving up something that is pleasurable or addicting to your life, as a sacrifice to your faith. Holy communion was a big deal in my church on Easter morning, and I was always honored to participate with my community and my family.
The Easter Bunny was always on time, every year, In addition to a basket filled with goodies (not so much candy, but lots of toys, games, bubbles, and sidewalk chalk), the Bunny always brought each of us a new pair of shoes. One year he even brought me a kit to make a pair of leather moccasins that I got to sew together myself!
Easter this year compared to Easter, say, fifteen years ago, is dramatically different. I woke up this morning and didn't even remember that it was Easter Sunday. I think that's pretty sad. I know that as JJ gets older, holidays will mean more to us, but this year seems like a bit if a blur - every day is the same as the last. JJ will have the same experiences that I did as a child, perhaps even more. The Ghost of Easter Present got jipped on this one... sorry, dude.
It's so funny how things change so dramatically as we get older. Sometimes it changes so fast, you almost feel like one night you go to bed in your bedroom, and the next morning you wake up in Zimbabwe. Completely naked and ten years older.
Oh, and don't worry everyone - I talked it over with God and we're cool. And I'm still waiting for the Ghost of Easter Future to come around today...
1 comment:
I think I will skip Zimbabwe this time around. I was there in '97 with Teen Missions. That place is a mess now. NE Who.. Chuck and I spend our Sundays together while the kids go to church with my mother. I was raised in the church with my aunt playing the organ and my grandmother being the dietitian. I would like to get back to going one of these days.
Have a Blessed Easter dear Cousin.
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