April 14, 2022
Kitching Creek Hobes Sound Florida
"This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks. Bearded with moss and in garments green. Indistinct in the Twilight." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow/Evangeline
Last Easter, we were alone for the holiday. It was sad. Memories of new patent leather shoes, a fancy spring dress and Easter Bonnet, the sweet smell of a delicious glazed ham for dinner, rarely made scalloped potatoes and a trip to church to see everyone else dressed up in their finery. As a child, it was all about the glitz!! But then over the years I began to understand the message of renewal and hope that Easter embodies.
In our cynical world, too many assume that the Easter story is a myth to make us feel better. Intellectuals claim that historical facts do not support the story of Jesus, so we become dead to the promise of renewal, hope and the mystery of life.
Hope now lies in artificial intelligence as a path to immortality, a one world government to take care of everyones needs (but WHO is running the show?), media giants to control the news and our thinking and genetic engineering to fix everything else ( in whose design and view?)!!!!!!!! Technology and science can now even control the weather. We may be able to create a shield around the planet to prevent the the sun from increasing global warming. Great. We will freeze to death instead!! Man's ego never gets it right!!!
None of the above sounds healthy to me... or fun!!!! I believe that inside us...embedded in our DNA...are many natural solutions which are in harmony with the planet...that we have not begun to tap the limits of our innate potential.
The Easter Story celebrates hope and renewal for humankind. Whatever your faith or lack thereof, Easter can be a reminder that many things exist inside us, many potentials that can contribute to hope, healing and real pleasure on this beautiful planet. Being immersed in virtual reality for hours on end does not equal staring at a real sunset or walking barefoot in the sand or hiking in the mountains or competing in a race or smelling a real...non genetically modified rose!! No matter how good the scientists get at mimicking reality...it will never equal the reality of the creator. It will always be "fake news."
Easter is a wonderful time to celebrate renewal. Establish a ritual if you don't have one. Reflect on the celebrations you had as a child. Create your own traditions. Come together with others to celebrate the pleasures of existence...good friends, family, food, beautiful environments. Be grateful.
Last Easter we had no family with whom to celebrate, so we enjoyed Easter Sunrise Service on the beach and then we took a long kayak ride down the Loxahatchee River to Kitching Creek through the most exquisite stream of beauty. It didn't replace the search for Easter Eggs, the enthusiasm that spring was here, the shared spiritual tradition with family, the good food and celebration of a mystery that we knew was essential to the human story.
Easter is a way to mark our journey and celebrate hope.Take time to reconnect with the spirit of hope and renewal. Throw off the shroud of darkness.. Disconnect from the world's cra and let your heart be filled with gratitude. Find the magic of Easter on Kitching Creek.
