Easter is the Christian liturgical annual central feast; it marks Jesus’ resurrection. Easter, in Western Christianity, is a “moveable feast” in that it is the first Sunday after the full moon and can fall between March 22 and April 25. This year, it falls on April 4, next Sunday.

Easter seems to have kept its holy purpose. Churches are full. Pastors admit how good it feels to see the many smiling faces they might only see once or twice a year.

People want to celebrate the joy of Spring, renewed hope, and new life. Easter is a symbol of new beginnings; planting flowers and a garden, saying good-bye to winter, planning vacations, anticipating outside sports, finding swimsuits, and going on a diet.

Childhood Easters always found my mother sitting at her Necchi sewing machine. We were five of the best-dressed little girls in town. She dressed us in pink, purple, yellow, and green, with white ruffles, and, of course, new black patten or white buckle shoes.

Back then, the Easter Bunny hid real eggs outside. One Easter morning, there wasn’t an egg to be found; we figured the neighborhood dogs must have had a feast.

My favorite Easter memories are sunrise services. For me, nothing compares to watching the sun crest on Easter morning. I have enjoyed early morning outside services in many places, such as the pines outside Chadron, NE, or the glorious Grand Canyon and Red Rocks. I also remember walking around a lake in Longmont, seeing the sun awaken the Lavender mine in Bisbee, AZ, on top of buttes north of Akron, and a windy prairie hill east of Sterling—during all, hope and joy engulfed me. Songs such as “He Lives” and “Were You There” seem to release stronger emotions on Easter Sunday at sunrise.

I specifically remember my dad, sister, and I left the house around 4:30 a.m., with coffee and directions. After a long drive and feeling lost, we finally saw vehicle lights on top of a faraway hill. When we arrived, the pastor and his wife were overjoyed to see us because we were the only ones who showed up. They had hauled hymnals, folding chairs, and a keyboard to the top of the hill. Even though we were strangers, we had a joyous service. They invited us back to the church basement for breakfast, where dozens of people were standing in line for pancakes. We laughed at the irony and visible show of priorities.

Whatever you do for Easter, even if you’re not a Christian, celebrate life; get up, open the curtains, and smile. It is a day to forget worries. It is a day of light—let it shine through YOU.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

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