I sometimes wonder why Easter isn't my favorite holiday. As a Christian, it signifies the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's a day of celebration. And as a child, we went to church in new little dresses and sometimes even new shoes. We got Easter baskets full of candy, and after church, we had a wonderful ham dinner with all the trimmings. We did our annual Easter egg hunt with the cousins, and then, well, then, I grew up. Things changed.
I wanted the same idealized version for my own children—church, Easter egg hunts, and baskets. I sewed little dresses with tons of lace for my daughter and bought new little suits for my sons. And then, they grew up.
And now, we are left alone. Sometimes, memories have to suffice, and I don't like that. We've all spread out. Sometimes we travel to see each other, and sometimes we travel away from each other. Business trips, spring break, and vacations to different places separate us. I didn't realize that was going to happen. I've lost control, as it should be.
That's why Easter isn't my favorite holiday. It comes in last behind Christmas, Thanksgiving, and most birthdays. We get together for those, as well as Memorial Day and Labor Day—long weekends are enticing. But not Easter. We don't seem to plan for it.
So, no, it's not my favorite holiday. It's down quite far on my list. Today will be fine; some of our family is coming, and I've got some Easter candy ready for them. However, a sadness has settled on me. I went to church, set the table, and made the dinner. Grandkids are due any minute, and yet...
I wonder if this is how it will be from now on. I also wonder if my parents and in-laws felt the same way. It's too late to ask them now, so I'll write all this here. That way, my kids will eventually know that this is how I felt, and it might ease their sadness one day—when it happens to them.
