Easter is a Family Affair

At the time of publishing, Easter is just over two weeks away (the approval process for Vocal can take longer than expected). It is a time that is synonymous with religion, chocolate and for me, family. It is a bank holiday weekend in the United Kingdom and I am looking forward to having a long weekend away from work (between the 13th and 18th of April).

My wife and I are hoping to head down/up to see friends and family, and I am personally looking forward to my wife's cake. Each and every year she makes a bigger and bolder Easter cake, with last year's showcasing a burrowing bunny. It was delicious, to say the least, and whilst the world has taught us that there are bigger problems than chocolate, we all have weak points.

Trumping all of the chocolate for me is the thought of seeing family. My Mum before the break and my wife's family/friends during the long weekend. It is a bank holiday and time to celebrate with those that we call friends and family.

We See What We Want To See

Life is subjective. One person's hero is another's villain. One beloved member of the family is another's enemy. One restaurant could thrive whilst its neighbour suffers due to the choice of cuisine on offer. We see what we want to see and the world is quite literally what we make of it.

I believe in equality. I do not believe in religion and I believe in my wife. I choose to see the story that makes the most sense to me. The world is tough, yes, but if we choose to see the best in people then we can create a narrative that helps others. There is strife across the face of the earth and if we are lost to it, then we can help no one. If we choose to see what we want to see then we can create a narrative that can spread positivity.

For some people, Easter is a religious holiday, whilst others see it as a chance to expand their waistband.

For me, it is an opportunity to expand my waistband whilst I catch up with those that I love and care about. It is an opportunity to give back and rekindle relationships that have been put to the side.

My Family

Beyond my Mum and Step-Dad is my family by marriage. My wife's family has been incredibly welcoming since day one and whilst, after five years, I am yet to conduct a fluid conversation, I am unafraid.

Yes, most of my time is spent in the corner smiling whilst everyone else catches up, but that is only through my anxiety. I worry about saying something stupid and intruding but that is me. My wife's family is lovely and it will be good to see her Mum again (the easiest to speak to) in order to see how her operation went.

My family by comparison is odd. My Step-Dad is very happy speaking to himself whilst watching endless scrapyard television shows. I sometimes wonder if he would be happier left to his own devices on some random island but that is a bigger conversation for another day. My Mum is equally odd in the sense that she is very happy to have conversations with the cat, yet they are my family. As odd as they are it will be great to see them again.

My family is my own and as an only child, I am overwhelmed by the consideration that my wife has more siblings than I have fingers, but they are still great. Seeing family is not limited to direct blood, it is those that you incorporate into your being and I for one am looking forward to seeing my family, direct and extended.

The Core Meaning

People say that Christmas is too commercialised and you can make a similar assessment with regards to Easter. Is it for the chocolate or is it for the meaning behind the holiday?

I love everything sweet and will never, ever say no to an Easter egg or giant bar of chocolate, but I know that the bank holiday weekend is worth more than that. It is a time to take a step back from our busy lives, put our feet up and catch up with those that we love and care about. This could be family, friends or our colleagues at work, it doesn't matter. Those we care for are in our lives for a reason and blood should never factor into this decision.

The core meaning of Easter is to be with those that we love and care about and I for one am incredibly excited about the long weekend. It will provide my wife and me with the chance to catch up with those that are important to us. An opportunity to take a step back and smile. To raise a glass and rekindle the memories of old, whilst stopping to make a few new ones.

A Final Thought

Easter is a family affair. Beyond the chocolate and the sweets are those that we care about. Whether that is our parents, siblings, friends or our colleagues from work. Those we care about should be top of mind when the long weekend arrives, I know that mine will be.

My Mum and Step-Dad are odd to the point in which I am tempted to send them to a behavioural specialist but really, this is thought of in jest. They are who they are and whilst I consider them to be odd, they care about each other and obviously make each other happy.

My wife is my world and I am looking forward to having a few days with her. Time to put our feet up and provide the love of chocolate to those that we love and care about. It is a holiday that means different things to different people and that is a key part of humanity. We see what we want to see and I want to see my friends and family.