What Happened To Easter?

So what happened to Easter? I know to many that might seem like a strange question. Easter arrives every spring and it is still celebrated by people throughout the world. But Easter is not what it used to be. I remember a different world than the one in which we reside today. The glow of the sun filtering through a full church Easter Sunday morning as we fellowship and worship the glory of Christ rising from the grave to defeat sin. A sunrise breakfast afterwards to celebrate with our friends and family as we rejoice in the spirit of renewal. Easter was a special holiday and ran a close second to Christmas. So where did that spirit go?

My mind wanders constantly these days. I guess I am a traditionalist by most standards. I wake up most mornings and don't recognize this country and our world anymore. My memories run deep to a simpler day and age. Visions of my grandparents run through my head. Their faces and words ring louder with each passing year. I long for that yesteryear. A time when holidays were truly special days and celebrated with a love and respect.

We have lost that spirit. Technology has been a real lifesaver, but with everything in life, there are tradeoffs. Life is full of give and take propositions. The amazing benefits of technology can't be denied. I am as guilty as anyone for being a slave to it most days. It is hard to imagine my life without a smartphone, computer, tablet, and a vehicle with all the bells and whistles. I constantly monitor Twitter for breaking news and for ideas to write about on my blog. Social media has been the lifeblood for bloggers like myself to grow our audience. But the tradeoff is the slow and gradual demise of a simpler time. The death of heartfelt connections between people and a less personable world. Technology connects us to everyone and everything yet it is more of a virtual reality. I find myself longing to go back to that church as a boy on Easter Sunday and get lost in my grandparents words of wisdom and friendly advice.

My fear is that those days are long gone. With every passing generation we have moved further and further away from God. The smarter we think we are, the dumber we become. When we finally reach our last day on this earth, our memories will be all that we can take with us. It won't matter how much money we have, how big our house is, or how successful we have been in life. Just those memories will be forever etched into our minds. So as you embark on another Easter season, remember those Easter Sundays in the past. Close your eyes and take a few moments to savor every sweet memory of a bygone era. Easter is a day of victory over death and a renewal of spirit. May this Easter remind you of what has been lost and maybe, if just for a short while, bring you back to a time and place where Easter filled our land with a special intimacy and joy.