Unconventional Easter

Buona Pasqua!

I hope that all of you have a beautiful day today, wherever you are. Key phrase: wherever you are. I am in Paris this weekend, visiting with two friends of mine from UMass. Paris is absolutely stunning (posts to come later), and this morning, I had the once in a lifetime chance to go to Easter mass at Notre Dame! Considering that thousands of people were inside the cathedral (sitting and standing), the experience was shockingly reverent. I didn't know how it would go considering the crowds, but you could hear a pin drop. Most of the mass was in French, but they also said parts in English and Italian as well. It was so nice to read a reading in English, and to understand the Italian portion. The choir was the best I've heard (reminded me a lot of how Westminster would sound from what I've seen on television).

One of my favorite moments: sign of peace. I have no estimate of how many languages were represented in the crowd today, but everyone shook hands with each other and smiled and said "peace" in their native tongues. Whatever that may be. No one cared about not understanding, because we all understood. This goes along with the theme that has repeated itself a lot during my semester: there are some things that just transcend language barriers. It was a beautiful moment.

That being said, I am really missing my family today. This is the first time I've ever been away for a holiday. Easter is big with us. There's morning mass, and an egg hunt with my cousins at Auntie Donna's (even though we're pretty much all in college or older. Still just as fun, if not more so. You're never too old to tackle someone for that Hershey bar). Easter is one of my favorite holidays, not just because of what it means to me religiously and spiritually, but because of them.

But I'm not with them today. Do any of you relate? I know as we get older, distance can keep us away from some of our loved ones when we want to be with them most. And that is never easy. Actually, it's downright tough.

And yet. My Easter is a different kind of Easter. I'll certainly never forget it. I appreciate everyone in my life a hundred times more than I always do. Jesus is still Risen. That's what matters: The spirit of those within us, whose lives we are a part of and who make up part of us.

Plus, Mom's saving me my Easter basket. :)