Easter gives us lessons for living

It’s April Fools Day, and I’m looking at Kempenfelt Bay, where just two weeks ago I walked downtown on the ice, enjoying the scene from the (ice) waterlevel. And soon it will be water. And this, for Christians, is Easter Weekend.

For those with other faiths, or no faith, or lapsed faith, or even Christians who haven’t really worked it all out yet, Easter can be a non-event.

It’s always risky to bring up politics and religion in public, but what I thought I’d like to raise this week is the symbolism that Easter represents for me. For Christians, Easter represents the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, which represents salvation for all who adopt this belief.

I’d like to stretch the concept a bit and look first at belief and the universality of people’s belief systems. Whether it’s Buddha, Allah, Christ, Great Mother Earth, Universal Energy, generally our beliefs motivate our thoughts and actions, and give us the values which direct our lives.

When I look at Good Friday, I see a model from which to live my own life. For me, Good Friday, or crucifixion, represents the turmoil, the disasters, the times when life is horrible, without hope, empty. What follows when life gets rough is modelled by what happened for Jesus Christ. In the Christian faith, Jesus went through with his promise to his father, even though he changed his mind and had second thoughts about the whole thing.

If I look at the challenges of my life straight on, if I own my own reality, if I do the work that I need to do, on the other side of the turmoil will be inner peace or happiness. If I don’t do the emotional, or mental work, quite likely the anguish will repeat itself.

So, at Easter Time I look at the model which the Christian story gives me. I think about the challenges that get placed in my path. They’re the things that make me think about other people’s points of view, and positions. Then I have options… I can deal with what’s in my path, or I can go around it and continue on, likely to have the challenge occur again. Easter Sunday comes after I do the work!

It’s simplistic, I know. But, for me it works!

On another note…

a few weeks ago I invited faxed stories of random acts of kindness. Kathy wrote to thank Varga, artist extrordinaire who paints from his studio on Highway 11 south of Innisfil line 8. When Kathy’s friend couldn’t afford art lessons, but showed real pleasure in it, Varga made it possible for her to take lessons, by offering to let her “pay it back” by borrowing his brushers, and apprentice to him by helping to organize his studio and work with him on a regular basis. Varga not only supplied this woman with brushes, but paint and palette, acting out of the goodness of his heart.

Thanks, Varga!