Happy Easter! The most important day in Christianity, with its message of hope and promise of eternal life, all made possible by the ultimate sacrifice.
And even if you are not a believer, the day is significant for its message of rebirth, which is relevant to us all as humans.
But the call for rebirth is not specific to just Easter Sunday – – life should be a series of Little Easters, as we challenge ourselves to continue growing every day of our lives.
And as we leave the Covid Cocoon, rebirth is vital – – and an everyday opportunity.
If your school experience was like mine, there were a few irritating students who always were on their best behavior, earned extra credit relentlessly, and volunteered to help after school. I kept waiting for the news that eraser dust caused cancer, but no luck, so that group was spared.
Those people are the ones who are now being touted as “having made the most of lockdown”, as we read about how they learned another language(s), built windmills that supply clean energy to their entire neighborhood, and helped the blind regain their sight.
No one seems to appreciate what the rest of us have done:
Developed daily routines, including drinking every day at 5 on the dot – and some of us earning our own extra credit by starting earlier;
Learning to love our true selves, by getting comfortable with our “Covid 15”, binge watching programs to make our Captors happy (The Hallmark Channel meaning “Yes, dear” in Spanish), and dressing like hobos;
Conducting internet research to see how hobos dress.
Regardless of how we used (or wasted) our time in lockdown, it’s time to get busy being reborn, to initiate our own “Little Easters”. And think about it in two ways:
- Make it about others.
Remember what it is was that freaked us out about C19: Not necessarily our own health/mortality – though that’s scary when we choose to think about it – but the health/mortality of our family and friends. And remember that concern for others, by reaching out to family and friends, and (re)connecting with them. And telling them what they mean to us.
If you’ve ever faced losing a loved one, you know how important that is.
In the immortal words of Mike Royko “If there’s someone you love and you haven’t said it for a while, say it now. Always say it now.”
And what’s more rewarding than service to others, by supporting those around us as they embark upon the “What’s next” version of themselves? It is evidence of emotional maturity to root for the success of our friends…
- Make it about yourself.
One of my favorite rock song lines is “It’s my gradual descent into a life I never meant”, which may describe a lot of our situations. Never resist the opportunity to make a change, no matter how small.
It is easy to read that as make “Easter resolutions”, and there is truth in that thought. My Captor tells me that the man she calls “The Governor” advises us to take small steps on the way to bigger goals, and since he was the one who said we could walk on the beach again, I’m in.
In short, act on the “when I get off this couch” intentions from the past year.
It is never too late. Never too late to connect – or reconnect.
And never too late to connect with yourself and figure out What’s Next.
If I can help, let me know.
Said all that to say this:
Andy Dufresne: “Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies”
Red: “Get busy living, or get busy dying’”
ENHANCE YOUR READING ENJOYMENT, PAIR THIS POST WITH THESE SONGS:
King Of America Elvis Costello
“I was a fine idea at the time, Now I’m a brilliant mistake”
Wasted Days Cloud Nothings
“I thought I would be more than this…”
A Man/Me/then Jim Rilo Kiley
It’s my gradual descent into a life I never meant”
Bobby Peru Luna
“I had lunch with an old girlfriend who knows all my faults, and pretends she wants to help,
She said I really don’t mind you keeping secrets from me, but please don’t keep them from yourself”
Kick Conor Oberst
“Kick, you know this life is rich, But pleasure isn’t happiness…”
Scarlet Begonias Grateful Dead
“Once in a while you get shown the light,
In the strangest of places if you look at it right”
Deep Karma Canyon Bob Mould
“When your mind begins to reconstruct, The sadness into laughter
Maybe you can turn the karma into Happy ever after
If you find a way to do this, I’d appreciate a hand, I’m in a deep karma canyon…”