Good Friday

It appears that Good Friday and another Easter weekend is upon us. I've had a difficult time making a connection with this particular holiday in my adult life. It usually starts with the Lenten season, which is a time where people who aren't me begin to abstain from things, and fried fish is found in abundance. I have been a little more active this Lenten season by hitting up multiple fish fries, but I see these as more of an opportunity to get out in the community, spend time with friends, and eat fish...opposed to something that involves personal sacrifice and can be directly applicable to my faith. Palm Sunday merely signifies the fact that I'll be eating ham at some point the following week. Easter Sunday is still a time where my family gets together, which is a good thing. But somewhere along the way I seem to have lost or misplaced the greater meaning. When one anticipates the week following Easter because of the 50-75% off candy sales, then one might have missed some significance amid the marshmallow peeps and reese's pieces egg. Don't get me wrong...I thoroughly enjoy Easter candy, even though my mother has slacked on the whole 'Easter basket thing' over the last couple of years. I also enjoy ham, fried fish, and spending time with family and friends. Falling backwards into a Hallmark moment or a life-changing epiphany is not my intention here. Simply bringing attention to the fact that Easter does not hold the same meaning that it did in the past is an important realization. As is the fact that there is always the threat of snow in Pittsburgh through Easter Sunday.