A time of renewal

Can you believe it is already Easter 2012. Time absolutely flies by...especially the older you get. I'm waiting for drama queen to rise and shine so she can get her basket. This year I didn't get her the usual Easter basket and frills because I think she is getting too old for that. We did however get her a very cute basket to store her art supplies in. We filled it with some candy...yummy Dove chocolate. We also put her some new art supplies and the movie HOP inside. She will love it. Mittens is only 8 months today so we are waiting until next year to go all Easter Bunny for her. So what exactly is Easter? Well Easter has many legends and customs that are religious as well as Pagan. All my "sheltered" life I only knew of the Christian concept of Easter. However, I always wondered what the heck a bunny rabbit and eggs had to do with Jesus and the resurrection. Well the egg itself is a representation of the tomb, which is evidenced by the hard shell. When cracked, it imitates the resurrection of Christ and his emergence from the sepulcher. Even the tradition of rolling eggs represents rolling away the stone covering the tomb. Many Christians of the Eastern Orthodox Church to this day typically dye their Easter eggs red, the color of blood, in recognition of the blood of the sacrificed Christ (and, of the renewal of life in springtime). Some also use the color green, in honor of the new foliage emerging after the long dead time of winter. Not until I met my husband did I learn of all the other views of the history of Easter or Ostara. We all know the Christian version which is Jesus gave up his life for our sins so that we can be whole. He was resurrected on Easter has the stone was rolled away from the death tomb. The Jewish have Passover which is celebrated for 8 days and commemorates the flight and freedom of the Israelites from slavery. Hinduism as its own version called "Holi" which has The Festival of Colours. This is an awesome celebration..which I would love to see someday.

A favorite in my household since I met my hubby has become the Odinic Rite version called Ostara. The popular symbols of Easter – eggs, flowers, rabbits, new clothes, etc. are the old pagan symbols of Ostara. Ostara (Frigg/Freya), the mother of our race, is the symbol of love and the family, the symbol of the great feminine powers. But she is much more than any mere symbol. Ostara is a living and real spiritual entity, a warm and loving mother, a friend to turn to in fear and distress, who never rejects those who come to her. Ostara is a spirit of wonderful compassion, a compassion that passes beyond any conception of kindness or pity, an all-encompassing love above life or death. She is said to be the guardian of a fountain called Quickborn, the waters of rebirth. To me this rebirth is a symbol of spring....a mighty renewal. We have passed winter and the death that it encompasses.

The world is full of individuals who all believe in something. We do not all believe in the same things although I believe behind each of these ideas there is a positive view on life. Every idea of Easter or how ever you choose to say it encompasses death, rebirth, and a renewal of life. It is a beautiful time of year. So, as I go spend the day with my family and enjoy the blessings I have you do the same. Go to your place of sanctuary, go hunt some eggs, eat some delicious food with your friends and family, and just enjoy being alive. Happy Easter and Ostara!

Just a quick question why do we force our wee ones to sit in laps of people and creatures that they have no desire to sit on? No wonder they grow up to be dysfunctional.