April 16, 2006 - Day 5 - Week 2 - Celebrating New Beginnings

Today for millions throughout the world, the idea of hope and new beginnings is reinforced with the belief that we, irrespective of our level of personal tragedy, can be reborn, rise for the dead, and get a new lease on life. Resurrection, with a small r, is something most of us in our adult years come to expect as part of life. Recovering from life threatening illnesses, rebounding from extreme financial crisis, or seeing old relations come alive when presumed dead is all part of our being able to understand the concept of resurrection. (Discussion of resurrection from the literal dead is something quite different and one that everyone needs to wrestle with for themselves, or not.)

At the grocery store yesterday Katy and I were stopped and an acquaintance remarked that their brother was on death’s doorstep 14 years ago and today is racing cars. I am hoping not to go there, either to the doorstep or the track, but many of us have celebrated the miracle of recovery with a friend or family member. Today is an appropriate day to give thanks for that. Resurrection is good.

Whether deeply spiritual or religious by nature, may or may not have bearing on getting well. For me I recognize, though living in an anthropocentric world, that I am not the center of the universe. There is something profoundly reassuring believing in a spiritual presence stronger than me at a time when faced with the question of one’s one mortality. The human and non human family is connected by a simple fact of nature called by Jews and Christians the ruach Elohim, the breath of God. Equally touched by this breath, our spirits, even when we choose personally not to acknowledge our own spiritual dimension to our lives, ties us all together. We are one, and fittingly on this weekend, Easter and Passover has been celebrated simultaneously.

Any illness experienced must remind us that we all hurt when one among us hurts. We know this when we reflect on a loved one or good friend hurting, and now our shared breath reminds us that we must strive to heal all who are broken. When we go to synagogue or church we are part of a community that at its very core cares for all constituents. This is the message of hope we must hear, and in the meantime, if the message from the rabbi, priest or pastor did not measure up, go to a higher power – The Easter bunny – as shared by daughter Jennifer.

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE
I LEARNED FROM THE EASTER BUNNY

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket
Walk softly and carry a big carrot
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears
There's no such thing as too much candy
All work and no play can make you a basket case
A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits
Some body parts should be floppy
Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans
Good things come in small sugarcoated packages
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket
An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare
To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey

In any event, blessings to each of you this season of new birth.

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