At the sounding.

So it is Easter morning, and I am still up blogging at 1:35 am. If all goes as it is currently, I should be up for a dawn service. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

For many religions around the world both Christian and Catholic (and often coincidentally Jewish), the rite of Easter/Passover brings the significance of spring and new beginnings. We are encouraged to discard the old and welcome change, birth, growth and discovery. As the earth begins its cycle of renewal, so it brings it upon us.

Traditionally, this is where I would bring up things I'm looking forward to in the new year, things I want to change, what I want to get rid of. But my life-is more than exquisite right now. If anything, a greater sense of peace, contentment and self confidence is all I'm really after. There are so many things that are already beautiful in my life and I am looking forward to renewing my relationships with the people I know and cherish. Sometimes, I am afraid I have reached a saturation point. That I am so perfectly happy with the friends that I have, there is no room for anyone or anything else. Are friends like jello? Do you always have room for another?

Well, the answer is...probably. But they have to be the right friend. And the "right" friend for you now, may not be the right friend 15 or 20 years in the future. As my reverend said during this morning's service: "You have the ability to love everyone, you may not LIKE them, but you can love them."

The Germ and I had an interesting conversation on the way to Mr. Jones' birthday dinner last night; he's dating someone who is intelligent, good looking, thoughtful, gracious-but someone for whom he has absolutely no chemistry or feelings for. Ouch. And yet, how many times are we encouraged to seek these people out? The polite ones? The nice ones? The "perfect" ones? And we feel obliged to find some sort of connection with people because they are 'good'? Or 'good for us'? In the end, we only make ourselves miserable. At this point, he and I agreed...there is no room for lack of chemistry for either of us. Some of my friends are, well...to put it lightly...down right rude. Sarcastic. But they make me laugh til my cheeks ache. They have been known to take care of their loved ones, inside they are the stalwarts. It is because they are discriminating that it allows them to use their love to the capacity to take care of the ones they truly care for; not just every joe shmoe come lately.

I just watched (it's now 4pm) a divinely beautiful Easter service today that really reflects on the true meaning of Easter; God is in all of us. And God is love. What other people do is up to them, but what you do is up to YOU.

Holy...did Hellafied write a stellar entry: Why I Write.