An Evolution of the meaning of Easter

As I've grown up, my view on things and understandings have evolved. Some things have changed for the positive, some not so much. One of the concepts that has changed over the years is my view on Easter. When I was younger, it was about bunnies and pretty dresses (which thank the Lord my mother only made me wear on Sunday's).

As a teenager, it was about church services and Holy Week (I grew up Episcopalian).  I always felt like the Saturday evening service was more powerful than the actual Easter Day service. We'd enter the darkened church quietly, and then at a certain point my mom would give us the signal to take the Kleenex out of our bells. During a hymn, everyone in the church would ring their bell and sing about Christ rising. That to me was powerful. The Holy Week services illustrated the point of Christ's crucifixion and rising.

As a young adult, it was another Sunday to dress up and fight traffic. It was a time to get together with family. Then our kids came along, and it was all about the bunnies and dresses and suits. During my adulthood, I missed the people who had passed on, knowing that is see them again, but it's almost as if I took it for granted.

But then, Jason, the kid's dad, died when our kids were nine and five. That's when Easter evolved again. Now, I am immensely grateful that Christ died for us. Now, I can reassure our children that they will see their dad again. That's what I think about on Easter now. Christ's rising is in the background on this day. What I choose to celebrate is the fact that Kevin will see his dad again, I will see all of my loved ones again, and most importantly my kids will see their dad again. That's what I celebrate on Easter.

That's how I choose to celebrate Easter.