You spoke into so much of my experience even though mine was really (and strangely) opposite. I always longed for Easter (and Christmas) at each and every different kind of church. It never touched my heart. I always felt like I had my nose pressed up against a glass window watching everyone else have these wonderful experiences. It wasn't until my IU residency that I realized that, in fact, I was on the outside. All I had to do was turn around and realize I was weird or alone on the outside. Congrats on the little ones!!
Christine, this piece really touched me personally. I feel your ambivalence, your pain, your joy at having had deep spiritual experiences without reference to standard Christian doctrine. I've had similar experiences in a Catholic church when no one else was there, but mostly in nature now, where a deep forest is the sanctuary and the divine is everywhere around you. I also wrote about "Easter Deconstructed" (https://chuckpetch.medium.com/easter-deconstructed-388f5477a5a4) but, honestly, I like yours a whole lot better.
You spoke into so much of my experience even though mine was really (and strangely) opposite. I always longed for Easter (and Christmas) at each and every different kind of church. It never touched my heart. I always felt like I had my nose pressed up against a glass window watching everyone else have these wonderful experiences. It wasn't until my IU residency that I realized that, in fact, I was on the outside. All I had to do was turn around and realize I was weird or alone on the outside. Congrats on the little ones!!
Christine, this piece really touched me personally. I feel your ambivalence, your pain, your joy at having had deep spiritual experiences without reference to standard Christian doctrine. I've had similar experiences in a Catholic church when no one else was there, but mostly in nature now, where a deep forest is the sanctuary and the divine is everywhere around you. I also wrote about "Easter Deconstructed" (https://chuckpetch.medium.com/easter-deconstructed-388f5477a5a4) but, honestly, I like yours a whole lot better.