Easter ~
Today is Easter Sunday. For Christians, it is a celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. For Jews, it is the last day of Passover. And it is also a day to find Easter Baskets filled with candies and other special trinkets. It is also a day of family and hunting for Easter Eggs.
As a Christian, you would think I would be in church today. I am not. The overwhelming crowds just challenge me. Will my usual seat be there to sit in? What do I do with all the excitement of the day? It is just too hard to celebrate. Getting my amygdala fired up is not on the to do list.
When my daughters were 11 and 13 years old, I found myself raising them literally on my own. I had been raising them on my own for most of their lives even though he was still in the house. But now, it was just me and my girls. So when Easter came around it was just too much to face the crowds. So, I started a new tradition. We went to the zoo. After all, it is the time of re-birth, new beginnings, and spring time. We primarily went to the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Wild Animal Park. However, we did go to the Los Angeles Zoo once and the Aquarium of the Pacific. It became our Easter tradition. We got outdoors, we walked, and found peace in experiencing creatures we do not see every day. Now my girls are grown and have families of their own. They live seven hours away from one another. I do not have a zoo where I live nor does my younger daughter. As their children get older, I hope one day we can all go to the zoo again on Easter. I have such fond and loving memories of those days gone by.
So, today, I am home. My girls are with their families and creating their own traditions - which is the way it should be. I will take a walk today with my two pups. I will continue to work on projects and listen to my “my likes” on Amazon Music. It will be a quiet day of reflection and of good memories.
He is Risen!
~julie
Note: JM Lane is NOT a mental health professional, nor does she carry a license to practice medicine. Posts, blogs, and content are based on JM Lane’s personal experiences, perceptions, and reflections. By no means does any material convey what others should or should not do.