It’s springtime in our little corner of the world and to a
lot of different people that means a lot of different things.
For those who observe Easter and Passover it’s a time of
solemn religious significance, and for others it’s a time for bonnets, bunnies and colorful eggs.
No matter what your belief system or non-belief system, the
common thread that runs through all of it is renewal. And I don’t mean
renewing your beach permit (yep…almost time to strap on those silly wrist bands
again), car registration, health club membership or your subscription to Sports
Illustrated and or Martha Stewart’s Living.
I’m referring to the renewal of life in whatever form or
symbolism you subscribe to.
If you’re a person who doesn’t subscribe to any organized religion, or even any of the disorganized ones, you’ll find renewal
all around you through the scent of awakening earth, the promise of budding
trees and fulfillment of blooming daffodils.
I include myself in this latter category of spring revelers.
I’m in no way religious, but in the chi chi modern, new age vernacular I guess
you would say I am somewhat spiritual in
my beliefs.
Yeah…I know.
I recently heard someone say on a TV show I was watching that
religion is for those who seek salvation and spirituality is for those who seek answers. It might have been on “Lizard
Lick Towing” or “Hoarding: Buried
Alive”…not sure which…but it was on TV so it must be true.
Truth is, I’m not really looking for answers—at least any
more—and Z says I’m beyond saving in
any way, shape or form.
It’s not that I’m without any sense of universal truth
inside; I do believe that there is some sort of order to things and that those
things do make sense on some mysterious level.
I also believe there is something
greater than me that’s responsible for that order and sense.
For a while I thought it was Donald Trump…then he came out
with the “Celebrity Apprentice” and
that was the end of that.
Then I thought it must be Orpah, but her new cable network isn’t doing all that well, so now I’m kind of at a cross roads.
I don’t know…and I guess that’s the key: I don’t know…and never will…at least in this life.
But at the risk of sounding much too Zenny, I do know that I don’t need to know either.
It’s enough for me to feel
that there is “something” and some
form of “existence”, be it unknown, that makes sense and lives on through all of us long
after this life concludes.
Bottom line is…breathe in the spring that surrounds us this
time of year and enjoy your holiday, whichever that may be.
No matter what you believe or don’t believe, this time of
year is a time of celebration… of life and life renewed for all of us.
Enjoy all the food and all the togetherness your tradition
brings to your table.
Enjoy your family and your friends and all the love and
laughter that they bring to your life.
Most of all, take pride in and enjoy that which you believe
and feel in your heart to be true,
with respect and acceptance of all that you don’t.
Even the Easter Bunny…because I’ve been trying to figure
that one out since I was five….
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Even Mother Theresa had her doubts, so it's not surprising that lesser folks do too. Why are we here? A question that has come down through the agss. Just for my being here, all the ancestors in a straight line had to exist long enough to reproduce; otherwise, I would not be here. Was it just chance? I think of the Holocaust and know that many people who would be here now, have no life because their ancestors were obliterated. So sad.
ReplyDeleteYeah…is it arbitrary or is it all planned out? If one person lived who didn’t, would we have cured cancer by now, or produced the evil genius that would ultimately lead to the destruction of the world?
ReplyDeleteI guess the key is to just make do and play the cards we were dealt.
Yes, in the beginning there was the word…
…and the word was…“Oy…”
Beautifully said!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pami. You too!
ReplyDeletenice, brian! blessing are blessings but only if you see them....
ReplyDeletefunny sidebar, matty said he gave up ribs for lent.... we told him he never really eats ribs this time of year. so he said he will give up toast. that lasted a day and he went back to the giving up of the ribs.
Matty sounds like a fella after my own heart. I once tried to give up milk for lent, but that didn't fly. Then broccoli, but no luck there either. Then I said I would give up the news, but only the 11 O'clock news. Eventually, I just gave up giving up...and that seems to work out for the best....
Deleteagreed.... i gave up as well.
DeleteWell said again, Brian...a message worth repeating! Happy Spring!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pami! Same to you and enjoy your Easter....
DeleteBeautiful sentiment Brian - the older I get, the more I appreciate the beauty of Spring and the resurgence ... the tenacity of flowers to break through the ground and rise up against the elements, especially after two brutally cold Winters. Where I do my grocery shopping, I wished one of the clerks that I always chat with a Happy Easter the other day ... his response was "I prefer to think of it as Resurrection Day" ... somehow the spirituality and significance of this season gets lost with the commercialism and sadly takes a backseat to the Peeps and Cadbury Crème Eggs. Happy Easter to you and yours.
DeleteThanks Linda. Have a Happy Easter and a I hope you get a good walk in, as well....
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