Easter Through The Eyes Of A Child

Let me take you down memory lane, to a time before you became an adult. As adults, we understand and fully connect with the whole meaning of Easter. We are reminded of our "why" and reconnect with our faith. The songs hit different now that we can relate and know what the author of the song means. When we read the story of the crucifixion, our hearts feel with passion as we visualize everything that happened from the betrayal to the guard’s discovery that Christ was no longer in the tomb. We purchase the Easter baskets, coordinate the egg hunts, and purchase the perfect outfits for our children. However, do you remember your Easter weekend as a child, before you gained all the levels of responsibility that you have now? Growing up in my neighborhood, Easter weekends religiously consisted of four things: the perfect outfit, egg hunt, getting hair done, and preparing for the Easter speech. First, the outfit. We spent the Saturday morning before Easter finalizing the perfect outfit, going from store to store to get the right accessories and shoes. Siblings would be dressed alike or at least in the same color scheme.

Second, you were bound to be a part of a good ole' fashion Easter egg hunt. The wind filled our bags as we ran around, laughed, and searched every inch of the yard to find the colored eggs. Our biggest goal was to find the lucky egg – the one with money in it. The third thing was ensuring the boys had a fresh haircut and the girls had freshly straightened hair. This was the weekend that you could trade in the barrettes and ponytails and finally wear your hair down. If you’ve ever had your hair pressed with a straightening comb, you would remember seeing the steam as the comb glared in preparation to give you a brand-new look. With our ribbons, bows, beautiful dresses, and smiles – we were almost ready. The last thing that summed up our weekend was reciting the Easter speech. Every year we would get our printed speech from the ladies at church. During the week before Easter, children heard the same question, “Have you practiced that Easter speech yet?” I remember the first time I recited my Easter speech perfectly. Church members were used to me forgetting my speech, standing there looking afraid, or walking off crying. I was determined to say the whole speech without help. It seemed like the longest two minutes of my life. My hands were cold with sweat. I marched down the long church aisle, grabbed the microphone, and turned around to face the crowd. I said my speech like a champ, returned to the microphone, and pranced back to my seat. That was an amazing feeling! For years and years, that was Easter through my childhood eyes. Now that I reflect on it, it seems as if Easter was a direct reflection of each family in a concealed way. The children didn’t want to be embarrassed by not remembering their speech; the parents wanted to have their children dressed appropriately for Easter; even if your hair didn’t hang half-way down your back, you still got your hair done. Parents juggled all of that, while still maintaining their personal convictions of what Easter meant to them. This Easter, I encourage parents to take a moment to reflect back to a good ole’ Easter weekend. Think of the smiles and laughter. Think of the outside games they used to play. I encourage parents to let their eyes be the eyes of a child. Let the wind fill your Easter bags. Go to a level of peace beyond any mask or any pandemic. For just a moment, take a breath and look through the eyes of a child.

story by Cynthia Ford, Director of Beyond Empowerment