This year, I was puzzling over the word ‘Easter’ itself. Doesn’t seem to have any religious connection, does it? All the Latin-derived languages borrow from “Pesach,” the Hebrew word for passover.
Surprise, Easter is named for an Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring. Traditionally the goddess Eoastre saved a frozen bird by turning it into a bunny. A bunny who could lay eggs, like a bird. BANG–“Easter Bunny”
For me, this Easter has been a real bust. Really, the whole Lenten season, too. Usually, I get into everything from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost–purification, focus on religious life, prayer. This year, it’s been a succession of issues: Pregnancy, Mom’s cancer returning, ongoing illness in my wife & kids, work, a car accident, dealing with insurance company. This weekend’s been the exclamation point on that–missed our Good Friday chorale because of shuttling J, then missed Easter because J’s got stomach flu. Three roundtrips to Louisville in 3 days, then I get to look forward to my boy being gone for a week. :-(