I didn't grow up with a heavy religious background, so the true meaning of Easter wasn't about the death and resurrection of Jesus. It was about Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts, and the birth of Springtime. I knew it had something to do with Jesus.
I was born on Easter morning so naturally I would love Springtime, which meant the arriving of my birthday. As I got older, and the calendar took its route, I was to find Easter on my birthday once again. I was told I could have some children over to celebrate, but each schoolmate I asked, had Easter plans. It was a depressing birthday for me.
One year, we thought the Easter bunny had passed us by. We got up and searched the house, but no basket. We were worried and teary-eyed. We found them a few minutes later on the front porch. The Easter bunny didn't meet his deadline, and had to find a way to get the baskets delivered without being seen. My own children would experience a year like this years later.
The tradition of Easter eggs is a fabulous tradition, as the house fills up with the smell of vinegar, to get the eggs colored. The beautiful colored eggs will take their toll from there. They will go into baskets, from baskets to their hiding places, and with luck, will be found, rather than to lay in hiding to rot. Deviled eggs will become part of the Easter feast. As I grew older, I became the hider instead of the hunter. It was at that time, I realized what a truly fun sport this is. The children love it. When it is rainy or muddy out, the event can be moved indoors. The children don't care as long as they get to find the eggs. I can't recall the times that we have found a plastic egg hidden away in our house, overlooked by anxious hunters. We are glad we used plastic eggs.
The best egg hunt I can recall is the year my entire extended family went to the city park for a picnic. We have a very large family and I love each one of them dearly. We had eggs galore.
We lived within a block of our city coliseum, where the annual Easter pageant took place. Shortly before Easter, our street would line with cars as people in Biblical costumes would walk to practice. To me, it was very interesting, yet very religious. I didn't understand the religious aspect that was added to Easter. I finally went to the pageant one year. I remember how extravagant the play was, but still didn't understand the story.
Across the street from us, was a very large house, out of place for the neighborhood we were in. It had large columns and a balcony on the top floor. They had a dinner bell and a colored-glass front door. The yard was hidden by hedges, but we knew of the massive yard behind the hedges. We were looking at the back of the house. If we went around the block, we would see the front side of the house. The property took half of a block. I knew a girl lived there, and it would be an Easter morning, that I would meet her. She was beautiful, in her Sunday dress and shiny black shoes. She was playing hopscotch, all alone in her side yard. She asked me if I wanted to play with her. It was the start of a special friendship.
I remember, as an adult, moving on the eve of Easter. I remember how it had been crucial to keep the box with the baskets in it, separate from the massive pile of packed household belongings. This Easter would be a mere day or so from my birthday, which was spent trying to get some order to the house.
I have many memories of Easter, but none that were of the real meaning. I would eventually find out the truth, which brings me to the moral of the story. In January of 2004, my family was baptized and I learned about Jesus and what he had done for me. I also learned the Bible story leading up the great event of Easter. I finally knew what Good Friday and Palm Sunday were all about. Easter of 2004 would be the most inspiring and memorable Easter I would ever experience. We had a big feast at home with both sides of the family, and I don't know what it meant for each individual who sat at our table that day, but for me, I was a new person and felt as lively and infant as the sprouts coming out of the front garden. This is a simple story, yet gives me much insight as I look back at life and see how it all comes together, and makes sense, in God's time.