This is the first Easter that I have spent away from my parents. I have been out on my own for about three years now, but for the past two years I went to my parent’s house for Easter dinner. I guess I sort of miss my family today. We, by that I mean quanta and I, were invited to Easter dinner at my aunt’s in Windsor, but it is just a bit to far now that we are in Toronto. And, quite honestly, I was looking forward to having a nice long weekend to spend alone with quanta.

I’ve been thinking a little bit about Easter when I was younger. My parent’s have never been particularly religious. It was my grandfather, an Elder at our church, who made sure I went to Sunday School, etc. My parents let me go for as long as I was interested. I thought the stories were fun, but as a religion it never really worked for me. (Yes, even as a wee girl I questioned Christianity.) Easter was more about the big dinner and time with family. And, of course, it was also about the treats. 🙂 Oh, I know that sounds awful, but that is what happens when non-religious people celebrate a national holiday–they create a way to make it make sense to them.

When I was younger, Easter meant spring was coming. Shortly after Easter weekend, my mom would start taking all the spring clothes out of storage, washing them and getting ready for the nicer weather. I went through all my winter stuff, picking out pieces to go to the Amity, and packing away other things for next year. The white shoes and light coloured handbags of my mom also made an appearance on Easter weekend. And I remember having a speical, pretty Easter dress to wear when when we went visiting.

This year, Easter weekend doesn’t feel as special. I felt the first stirrings of Spring at the Spring Equinox. I won’t be setting aside clothes for the Amity this year either, since I did that when we moved a few months ago. I think that I am finally shifting my focus, in that the national Christian holidays aren’t the specials days they were before when I was growing up. Wiccan Sabbats are finally feeling like my holidays, even if hardly anyone else recognizes them. It took more then a decade for the shift to happen, but it feels right.