Happy Easter, or Spring, or Passover, or whatever you like to celebrate in April as the world is transforming, out of the dark, sometimes dreary, sometimes cozy, envelope of winter, into the explosion of life and transformation that is spring! And Happy Birthday (in Japan) to Gautama, the Buddha, and also to the provocative novelist, Barbara Kingsolver!!
Human cultural history is rich with stories of creation and of radical transformation. Check out Russ Hudson’s recent post for a thoughtful take on resurrection and victories that renew us. What is a story that touches you, gives meaning to your life?
Actually the Easter Bunny and eggs is a timely, if not profound, case in point. Talking to my grandkids yesterday I said something about the Easter Bunny laying eggs. I was corrected: No, a bunny can’t lay eggs, he has a basket, and carries the eggs around dropping or hiding them as he goes. Well, turns out I was right. (I love it when this happens :-). Just kidding! Not!) Here you have it, straight from The Writer’s Almanac for Sunday, April 8, 2012:
The word “Easter” and most of the secular celebrations of the holiday come from pagan traditions. Anglo Saxons worshipped Eostre, the goddess of springtime and the return of the sun after the long winter. According to legend, Eostre once saved a bird whose wings had frozen during the winter by turning it into a rabbit. Because the rabbit had once been a bird, it could still lay eggs, and that rabbit became our Easter Bunny. 
I would love to hear your stories of transformation — seasonal, spiritual or otherwise. Please add comments here or write me an e-mail, I will be adding some of mine in this or future posts — one where an octopus goes from being a villain to hero!
Suffice it for today to wish you a very Happy Whatever You Feel Like Celebrating. Just be sure to celebrate something!
Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity. BECOMING is an invitation for self -reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, and growth. Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume. Your feedback is most welcome.
