On days when sun warms my shoulders and tiny green leaves push aside matted brown ones, the idea of spring’s renewal buoys me.
I was raised Catholic and the celebration of Easter and spring have always been linked. But I’ve drifted away from the Catholic Church. The Easter rituals of my youth—the stations of the cross, Easter vigil, joyfully meeting the day in a new dress, hat, gloves and shiny shoes—are no longer relevant to me.
Easter is meant to be about immortality. Rebirth. But what does Easter mean to me now? I have more years behind me than ahead of me. The idea of rebirth in an afterlife should be coming into sharper focus, but isn’t.
Without the religious underpinnings, Easter feels odd. But Easter is still about gathering my family, enjoying a good meal, hope, and renewal.
The midwestern world is coming alive again after a long harsh winter. That’s reason to celebrate. My life and nature go on with their seasons.
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4 responses to “Renewal”
When I was a child, I loved all the elements of Easter, especially Good Friday. I miss that we’ve stopped closing businesses so people could go to Good Friday services. I took seriously the week prior to Easter and mourning of Christ’s death on Good Friday. Then the secularism of our society gradually swayed me. I don’t even belong to a church anymore. Uffda, and I am right with you about the uncertainty of what’s to come. How I long for the good ole days of believing in the resurrection.
Happy Spring! Renewal is always worth celebrating, I think.
We share similar histories with our Catholic upbringing. Both Christmas and Easter now feel like non-holidays to me, but I understand and encourage others to express faith however they wish. I love family traditions and bonding over a meal is reason enough to celebrate. Happy Spring!
Exactly—I respect the faith others have. Happy Spring to you too. Looks like you’re further into the season where you live.