now, at Easter time.
© Kathy J. Sotak
TOTAL READ TIME: 3.5 MINUTES
Is your mind scattering and chattering like mine is right now? After all, there’s a few things going on. It is Easter weekend, the first full moon after the vernal equinox, and spring is in the air. The birds have arrived and the tree buds are popping. There is bursting energy around us.
You are likely too busy to read this. Perhaps you are coloring eggs with your kids. Perhaps you are planning a feast for tomorrow. Perhaps you are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Perhaps all of these or none of these.
Whatever is going on, I have a feeling you need a reason to slow down, like I do. I’ve been reflecting a bit, beyond the Easter bunnies and garden supplies in my shopping cart. What I’ve been thinking about, is whether we are a Christian or not, Jesus’s story is pretty amazing. Keep in mind I am not a historical expert nor a biblical expert. What I do know, is Jesus knew he would die, yet didn’t miss a beat with teaching his people. He knew he was living amongst injustice, yet he didn’t carry anger. Instead, he carried laughter and taught love. Every day, he saw displays of hatred, control and greed. People judged him and mis-interpreted his intentions. Then you know what he did?
He lived in the light.
Although Jesus was surrounded with darkness, he chose to live in light.
Why can’t I do this? I’m waiting for this darkness to disappear, after all. I will wait. I spend my time dreaming of a lighter future. I pray for the dark to disappear. THEN I can be happy, and live with joy.
This is not the way.
The way of life is to choose, and choose right now. The darkness will still be here for some time. Turn our backs to it now, with our spines as shields, and shine our light forward. The more darkness that surrounds us, the brighter we need to shine.
I’m not sure what darkness you see, feel, hear, touch and smell. I have a feeling we are all carrying a piece. It’s okay if we can’t walk away from it. What we can do, is be a generator of light.
Growing up in a Christian community, the acronym “WWJD” was everywhere. It stands for “What Would Jesus Do.” I’ll tell you what he would do. Jesus would laugh despite hardships. He would love despite injustices. He would live freely despite imperfect conditions.
This lesson applies whether you believe in Jesus or not. When someone judges me, will I be able to look them in the eyes with compassion and forgiveness? When someone tries to control me, can I shoot a light beam into the room anyway? When I look at the problems of the world, can I still find a reason to dance and celebrate?
I want to change the world, and I’ve finally figured out how. I’ll flip that generator switch to on, and leave it be. It’s not going to be easy. Perhaps you can join me, and together we will lighten the load.