Easter: Chocolate or Change?

So it's the season of new beginnings. The trees flower with the beautiful colours of spring and Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. It absurdly also seems to be the season of chocolate in all its forms, chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, chocolate nests with chocolate eggs in, and so on. 

Then there's the Easter Bunny. What's that all about? The kids were asking if the Easter Bunny would be visiting and I told them outright that it isn't real. I figured things were complicated enough with trying to keep the Santa myth going for as long as possible.  (Hubby was busted on Christmas Eve because he was too noisy whilst filling the stockings and my eight year old woke up and saw him. But she somehow still believes because 'Santa' wrote her a letter in Norwegian and Daddy doesn't speak Norwegian, so Santa must be real. Thank goodness for google translate!)

So what are we to take from all this? The resurrection, spring blossoming and chocolate?

I really do get overwhelmed sometimes with the details of life, with my perception of everyone's expectations, most often imagined rather than real. I feel like I can't do it all, it's impossible to please everyone all of the time. I need to learn that it's a waste of energy to even try. How can this Easter time give me hope that things can be different? that it's possible to have peace within, secure in the knowledge that I am generally OK just as I am. Of course there's always room for improvement, but there's something beautiful in the realisation that I don't have to prove myself, or earn love and acceptance.

So what can I do? I guess I have a couple of options. The first one could be to stuff my face with chocolate, but I don't think this would help. Too much chocolate makes me feel ill, I get all headachey and very windy, (the less said about that the better!)  So I don't think this would be the friendly or sensible option.

Secondly, I could actually make a decision to change. I've recently started reading a book which I purchased from my local Quaker bookshop called "Crossing the Desert, learning to let go, see clearly and live simply" by Robert J.Wicks. It's about learning from some fourth-century monks and nuns who spent time in the desert; about what they learnt and discovered:

"So, in the desert, an opportunity to gain a new perspective and a unique appreciation for what is truly important is joined by a radically different sense of what relationship, hospitality, and compassion should mean in our lives. Is it any wonder then, that the desert would be an ideal metaphor for the challenging times in life to remind us of the need to let go of all that is incomplete and unnecessary in us?"

Robert J. Wicks.

I often feel like I'm having some sort of desert experience, with lost bearings and an unquenchable thirst for fulfilment. But I think this is because I sometimes forget to measure my life by the things which have actual value, in fact they are invaluable: My beautiful children who bring me untold joy and constantly hold up a mirror to show what is real and precious, my 'Mr Man', the unconditional love of my family and friends, the simple things that make me smile...
Easter for me, is about death and resurrection. I want to put to death the things in me which cause me to stray from the truth of what is really important. I want true sight to be resurrected in me. It's there somewhere, milling about behind my eyes.

So this Easter time, I wish you renewed hope, sharpened vision and an increased lung capacity to breathe the clear air of truth. With very much love, always,
Ayozie xxx