The home cooked meal your father whips up is beyond-words-phenomenal. Out the window you see a colony of ants take apart some mangled remains of something they decide will be their dinner. You call out to them to come over for better food, but ants cannot understand human talk. Your father turns you into an ant so you can tell the others about that heavenly smorgasbord. But the ants don't appreciate you questioning their system of where to get their meals, no matter how good you were getting at using antspeak. You've formed a little ant line but also pissed off enough ant elders and you get all your six legs crucified, just because your way to better food was not sweet enough for the ants that called the shots.
I giggled as my favorite professor (Sir Ray Aguas) ended this story by drawing a crucifix-turned-asterisk on the chalkboard. This simplistic, yet powerful version of the Passion of Christ has been in my heart for the past fourteen years. Holy weeks of years prior were spent in Candelaria, Quezon, witnessing the bawling Pabasa chanters, and joining processions marked with ivory faced, tear laced statues of holy people and men whipping themselves. To understand the drama, here's Christ's physical suffering in a nutshell, as I learned from Lee Strobel's The Case for Easter: Hematidrosis(sweating blood from extreme levels of stress), respiratory acidosis(increased respiration leading to increased carbon dioxide in the blood and diaphragm malfunction, among others), excruciating pain(so painful, "pain from the crucifix" gave birth to the term excruciating), pericardial and pleural effusion(chest trauma resulting in inflamed sac pushing against the heart, and excess fluid in the lungs that impair breathing - the reason behind His chest shooting out water when the Roman soldier stabbed Him).
Dreadful as it was, His existence meant to teach us about love, forgiveness, and what smells so good up there. His life is (since He was resurrected) teleological and because of us, has extrinsic finality. His message is love, and not religion. At the wedding in Cana, He turned water into wine and used jars that were supposed to store holy water for cleansing hands. The extremely religious thought this act was plain rude. Jesus wanted to say, "Marriage is a celebration of love. Let's party!"(something I learned from Bruxy Cavey's The End of Religion)
It's disappointing when I don't love and forgive enough. It's heart wrenching to see anyone miss the point(especially the religious doing REALLY BAD things). Easter makes me reflect. Easter makes me celebrate. Easter makes me love all the more. The little one gets to hunt Easter eggs. I can't wait to teach him what Easter is all about.
What each egg represents: A new life, a new understanding of love
What Bunky knows for now: toys inside eggs and he gets EGGStra kisses for growing new teeth!
It's Easter Skittles Mani, three coats after!
L to R: Essie's Beach Party, Blueberry Crumb, St.Martin Mint, Barbuda Banana, Castaway
Silver Shatter by O.P.I. :o)))
It's like transfiguration for this Easter mani
Love all year round, Bumparoos. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it.
