Happy Easter. Who exchanged chocolate eggs today or hid them in the garden for their children to search for? Who kept hot cross buns for Easter Friday and who chose to eat as many as they could over the weeks leading up to Easter? Who is willing to admit to putting rabbit ears on their unsuspecting pet and photographing them on their cellphone and sending the pictures to their friends?
I know these may seem odd questions, but what I’m thinking of now is the purpose and importance of traditions and ritual in our lives and how these things can enhance our sense of wellbeing and stability. Rituals and ceremonies satisfy a deep need within us for working through strong emotions and are an expression of connexion. They can make us feel part of something bigger than us – whether that be a family, a group, a culture or a religion.
Sometimes the underlying meaning of the ritual is long forgotten and we simply enjoy the feeling of being able to look forward to something that is just for special occasions and enjoy doing something that is set apart from everyday life. It is this sense of being out of the ordinary that helps make it special.
The sense of anticipation we have leading up to it can increase our pleasure. If we eat chocolate Easter eggs all year then they cease to be distinctive; they just become another goody to be consumed when we feel like it and some of the enjoyment goes out of it. It is possible to make your own rituals and traditions that are meaningful to you, and those you choose to share them with.
How do you celebrate birthdays? What special times do you share with others and what do these traditions mean to you?
