Today is Easter. Traditionally, Christians celebrate Easter to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus’ victory over death and the hope for eternal life. Easter actually derives its name from the Eostre, the Anglo -Saxon goddess of Spring. There are other symbols of rebirth and fertility such as the Easter egg and bunny. We have Easter cards and even Easter parades. All of this places emphasis on renewal, awakening, new beginnings or creation of new life.

As a child we always went to Easter Sunrise Service and I always had a new outfit with an Easter bonnet. My Mother often made these new clothes. There are yearly pictures of everyone lined up in their Easter finery before church. My parents tell the story of one such early morning trip when the moon was big and round, as it will be this year. As we drove the 10 miles to church I was heard to comment that the moon was full so we must be on our honeymoon.

Of course the Easter bunny always arrived with a basket of candy. My research tells me that candy is a relatively recent Easter tradition. Chocolate eggs, jelly beans and marshmallow peeps are the most popular varieties of Easter sweets. Of course the big controversy is how one should eat a chocolate Easter bunny. Do you begin with the ears, feet or tail? Seventy-six percent of us think bunnies should be eaten ears first. With ninety million chocolate bunnies produced each year, that’s a lot ears.

I was fascinated to find that Americans consume 16 billion jellybeans at Easter. If all these jelly beans were lined end to end, they would circle the globe nearly three times. The big question here is do you eat them one at a time or take a whole handful and plop them in your mouth? Seventy percent of the kids 6 -11 prefer to eat them one at a time. Of course, everyone has their favorite jellybean flavors – whether it is cherry, strawberry, blueberry or lime. I always liked the red and black ones.

There was usually a family gathering with all the aunts, uncles and cousins. Of course this called for the annual Easter egg hunt and lots of good food. This was usually at Grandpa’s farm and gave everyone an opportunity to enjoy each other and be outside in the country. Now, the family is scatted like the wind, some are no longer with us and these family gatherings are few and far between.

Traditions are an important part of our lives. They connect us to fond memories of the past, carry forward in the activities of the present, and give us something to look forward to in future Easters. We connect to people we love, activities that are fun, and spiritual renewal for our heart and soul. May this Easter awaken your heart to the gifts of spirit on this day of resurrection. Many blessings to you and yours today and every day! May this Easter awaken