It was while waiting to cross at the lights on Spring Street last week, standing (suitably) apart from a couple on my walk home, when I overheard one say, “Things will really get bad when Bunnings closes.”
I wanted to step closer and join that conversation. Unable to, I’m thinking aloud, privileged to share with you my own Bunnings – to Easter – to renewal – to growth story.
Whatever circumstance you find yourself in this Easter; overworked, underworked or out of work, my hope is that we can use these four days to pause, to see them as an opportunity to consider new beginnings.
In the Northern Hemisphere, from where many of our ancestors originated, Easter was a Spring celebration – a time for renewal and new life. They planted in Spring, partied hard after the back-breaking work, prayed for a good season of growth, welcomed spring rains and looked forward to a bountiful harvest in five to six months.
Which brings me back to my Spring Street eavesdropping moment. The things we work on now give us a sense of accomplishment, and hope for the future. How much would we miss Bunnings if its doors had to close at this time – painting, repairing, refreshing our homes, feeding our soil, new plantings for our pots or plots and gardens.
In the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in temperate and cool climate regions, we go into Autumn and look towards winter. We have more thinking and planning time, but also seek out the plants that will grow into a bountiful harvest as we come through into Spring. We can clean out and clean up our homes and nurture personal relationships. None of it need cost a cent, but we can look back and be proud to have turned ‘the worst of times’ into ‘the best of times’. We can indulge in personal passions (so long as they don’t involve travel), sharpen our skills and improve on every day…
The theme of ‘Renewal’ marked the Pagan’s Springtime celebrations in the Northern Hemisphere. Every faith has its festivities and I’m wishing you all a Northern Hemisphere-like Easter this year, a time for renewal.
I’d love to hear what you will plant, nurture and begin to grow this Easter.
