Reflections on Easter: Paper Crowns and the Possibility of Rebirth

Easter is a holiday that truly speaks to me. I am sure that it helps that I have fond memories of the holiday from my childhood- little Ana in frilly dresses bouncing around with her candy filled basket. We always went to church in the morning and then came home to a big family dinner. I love that I grew up with tradition and faith and family as the cornerstones of this day. Now, in my adult life, Easter takes a different form, as I am no longer religious and currently not surrounded by biological family-but rather the kind you create. And yet despite my separation from Christian or religious dogma, I feel more connected to the deeper symbolism and significance that Easter brings than ever. I hear the message of rebirth loud an clear. A time to wake up from the winter, from the cold, from the sleep. It is a time for rejuvenation, it is our turn to sprout with the flowers. Spring brings so much more than the pollen that dishevels our senses, it is the earth reminding us that all things ebb and flow, give way to rebirth. This, Easter, is your rebirth. If this holiday is marked by religious significance through the resurrection of Christ for you, or if like me, Easter lives in you through a different lens- what a beautiful message of sacrifice and what a magnificent example set for all to follow- walk in the faith of rebirth and allow it to manifest in your life with each passing Easter. Each year. Each month. Each week. Each day. Every moment your soul moves you to let it go and return with a kinder heart and a wiser mind.  This Easter was spent with paper crowns, fruit salads, baby snuggles and great friends. The kind that give you room to fall and rise time and time again.

Today also marks my 27th day on Whole 30. I stuck with it as faithfully as anyone not living in an underground bunker could. Now I get to think about what comes next. What does incorporating some of these foods back into my life look like? I am feeling through not just what does this spring season look like with nutrition but also with mental and spiritual health. What does my 2016 rebirth look like? I have been reading these two great books for inspiration, recipes and motivation as I sprout into spring!