Happy Easter

Good morning, Sammy,

This is Palm Sunday, the beginning of my favorite holy season of the year.  I hope Mom and Dad don’t bring you to church because it’s a very, very long service that tells the story of the darkest days of Jesus’ life. You don’t need to hear about those days yet, as you’re just learning to live one day at a time, which is one of his essential teachings.  “Worry not,” he said.  And, after seeing the pictures of you crying, I can see that you already understand about dark moments . Good for you for letting mom know it’s not okay to take away shiny things. Good for mom for taking away something that could have hurt you. 

Mommy was protecting and loving you when she did that, Sammy.  When Pops and I visit the Animal Kingdom I wonder how the gorilla mama knows to carry her child and the gorilla daddy knows to watch over them. She sits with her back to us, as if she knows we are behind the glass.  Then, still with her back to us, still holding her baby, she climbs over a rock, shakes down a piece of bamboo (we can’t see her – we  only see the bamboo move)  and then she goes around the corner to a shady place, sleeping baby crooked in one arm, chewing her lunch with one hand.  The Dad lumbers over, watches us watching, and sits facing her, so we can no longer see her or her baby.  They are protected from our sight.    At the same time, just a few feet away, at a little stream that begins at a waterfall, Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal take turns zipping over our heads and sitting on a rock.  We can’t see a nest, but they are so purposeful in their movement we are sure there is one close by. 

They are so beautiful;   the Gorillas, the Cardinals, your mom and dad, protecting, loving their children.   What they do is what Jesus meant when he said, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”     When you rest your head Daddy’s shoulder or chat with Mommy in the office, it’s obvious not only that your parents love you, but that you love them back.   That is the circle of life we celebrate this season.   I hope you will love it.

Happy Eastertide.

Love,  Marmee