Easter was different this year. Our normal family gathering of 25, not including invited friends, was down to 3. It was quiet. It was peaceful. And, though I missed the rest of my people, it was nice. I even dressed up a little, meaning I got out of my usual loose fitting capri yoga pants and tee shirt and put on capri leggings (i.e. fitted yoga pants) and a flowery top. I even did my hair and put on my face. I was less comfortable, but I looked better.

I was a little girl in the late 60’s, when hippies still roamed the earth. In fact, Cliff and I went to a 60’s music concert once at Disney, and those old hippies are still around. Their long flowing hair is now grey, they wear tie-dyed tee shirts, have streamers on the handles of their walkers, and walk in shuffled baby steps, but they still love their music. They were standing there hanging on to their walkers for dear life and bopping with the best of them. I digress, sorry…I’m easily distracted these days.

When I was a little girl, Easter was a very big deal. Every year Mom would take us shopping for our Easter outfits…dresses, underwear (Grandma Moon wouldn’t let us leave the house with holes in our underwear. What if we got in an accident and had to go to the hospital?), socks, shoes, coats, hats, and new purses. I remember one particular picture of all four of us kids dressed in our finest. My brother dressed in his little sailor suit, my sisters and I all decked out in our new Easter dresses and accessories. I remember this picture because it was one of the few times in my life when I was the tallest sibling. I also remember this picture because I was wearing a yellow coat and my hat truly looked like a lampshade. It was white, had two tiers, and was covered in daisies. I also had a pixie hair cut, so I pretty much looked like I didn’t have any. Just my little white round face under and even whiter daisy lampshade with a tiny bit of auburn fringe poking through so you could tell where the hat ended and my face began. Yup, it was pretty bad. My siblings, of course, looked adorable. They still do!

Thinking of those days, this past February I made a decision to do something I haven’t done in a very long time. I made this decision based on some plans that we had. The daughter of very dear friends was getting married in North Carolina in early May and I was asked to be the speaker for our school’s graduation later that same month. (Before you get too impressed, there are only 4 young men graduating and because I taught them all at some point, they asked me to be their speaker. When teaching, I can be very entertaining, sometimes not on purpose. Still I was surprised, teary-eyed, and very honored when they asked.) And then, of course, there was Easter. My decision? Well, with all of those exciting plans I decided I needed to buy an Easter dress! 

I found a very nice dress, blue with white polka dots. I tried it on and it almost fit perfectly! Unfortunately, it had a longer back hem and the shoes I had planned on wearing didn’t give me quite the height needed. No worries! I found a pair of platform sandals online. The sandals came and once I got my step ladder and climbed into them, I realized that they not only gave me the needed lift, they were comfortable! Double score! But, I didn’t have a purse to match my shoes, and we were going to a wedding, so I bought that, too! Easter, a wedding, a graduation…Bring it on!

Well, our friend’s wedding is still going on, but they’ve decided on just immediate family for now, with the big wedding and reception next year. I already told you what I wore for Easter and the graduation is somewhat doubtful. Plans change and that’s okay. It’s our lot in life. As one of the ants in A Bug’s Life once said, “It’s not a lot, but it’s our life.” And, after all, even our plans are really not that big a deal!

“So we do not lose heart…For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight in glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” ~ 2 Cor. 4:17-18