The Journey
For many Christians today is the day set aside to honor the story of Jesus; that he was unwilling to betray his mission and his beliefs to avoid a very violent death. For many Jews April 8-16 is the Passover – a time to remember the exodus from Egypt. For many others it is a time to welcome spring. Here in West Virginia many have mowed their grass this week for the first time this season. The spring flowers have been showing off for some time. Many of us have cleaned our garden areas and discovered which plants return to the earth for good and which ones will boast new growth as they begin their summer journey.
This is a weekend when many people traditionally travel to joint family member or to sneak away for a long weekend break. This year there will be relatively little travel as we continue to do our part to attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Perhaps many of us will reflect on our journey; our spiritual journey. For many this time of social distancing has been a time to clean out closets, cupboards, basements and garages. As soon as they reopen thrift stores may be overwhelmed with items. Some of it will be junk or better suited for rag recycling operations. Some will not even be good for that purpose. Some will find their way to new homes. Cleaning out what we no longer use or need can be a metaphor for the death and rebirth which Easter, Passover and spring honors and celebrates.
Daily, we have an opportunity to be born again; to reclaim that innocence, passion and acceptance that we experienced as very young children unless we had some condition which prevented us from that embrace. Each day we have an opportunity to face what we did well and what we did not do well the previous day. Each day we have a chance to fact check and edit the story we have been attempting to tell ourselves. Each day we have the opportunity to face the lies and deceits we tell ourselves and claim a new beginning.
Jesus, as did Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright’s Native Son, proclaimed “Ain’t nothin you can do but kill me and that ain’t nothin.” Perhaps this is the most perfect Easter. Covid-19 loudly has reminded us that we are powerless; that we only have today; that as we carry the cross up the hill we need to hold our heads high and proclaim, “We did not need things. We did not need titles. We did not need all those cloaks to hide who we are. We can face the cross naked or with only a loin cloth. We can assume our place between the two other thieves. We will rise to be our best self. We will build homes in a new land.
Perhaps we will invite Gloria Gaynor to lead the march to the place of rebirth. We will sing and dance with her:
“Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.”
Written April 10, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
For many Christians today is the day set aside to honor the story of Jesus; that he was unwilling to betray his mission and his beliefs to avoid a very violent death. For many Jews April 8-16 is the Passover – a time to remember the exodus from Egypt. For many others it is a time to welcome spring. Here in West Virginia many have mowed their grass this week for the first time this season. The spring flowers have been showing off for some time. Many of us have cleaned our garden areas and discovered which plants return to the earth for good and which ones will boast new growth as they begin their summer journey.
This is a weekend when many people traditionally travel to joint family member or to sneak away for a long weekend break. This year there will be relatively little travel as we continue to do our part to attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Perhaps many of us will reflect on our journey; our spiritual journey. For many this time of social distancing has been a time to clean out closets, cupboards, basements and garages. As soon as they reopen thrift stores may be overwhelmed with items. Some of it will be junk or better suited for rag recycling operations. Some will not even be good for that purpose. Some will find their way to new homes. Cleaning out what we no longer use or need can be a metaphor for the death and rebirth which Easter, Passover and spring honors and celebrates.
Daily, we have an opportunity to be born again; to reclaim that innocence, passion and acceptance that we experienced as very young children unless we had some condition which prevented us from that embrace. Each day we have an opportunity to face what we did well and what we did not do well the previous day. Each day we have a chance to fact check and edit the story we have been attempting to tell ourselves. Each day we have the opportunity to face the lies and deceits we tell ourselves and claim a new beginning.
Jesus, as did Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright’s Native Son, proclaimed “Ain’t nothin you can do but kill me and that ain’t nothin.” Perhaps this is the most perfect Easter. Covid-19 loudly has reminded us that we are powerless; that we only have today; that as we carry the cross up the hill we need to hold our heads high and proclaim, “We did not need things. We did not need titles. We did not need all those cloaks to hide who we are. We can face the cross naked or with only a loin cloth. We can assume our place between the two other thieves. We will rise to be our best self. We will build homes in a new land.
Perhaps we will invite Gloria Gaynor to lead the march to the place of rebirth. We will sing and dance with her:
“Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.”
Written April 10, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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