By Shannon Williams
Oops! last week I put a quote from the Sound of Music, well I always go to my last column when I get ready to write my new one and just delete and move forward. Well, I did not check and left Maya Angelo as the source, as it had been for something I had quoted earlier. I guess not many really read each column as no one pointed it out and we all know that Richard Rogers of Rogers and Hammerstein wrote those lyrics. Oh well, I will do better Q&A from now on.

Speaking on another Oops, we had a sunrise service without a sunrise, well it was really not an oops at all, I think it was a great example of faith and the faith of all of those who attended. I have attended this event for several years and while I am not a morning person, getting up to be a part of this, is just something I want to do and so does the hubby. Without a doubt there is nothing like being in a crowd of people on a beach on an Easter Sunday Morning taking part in worship together and watching the sun come up to bring us the light we all need. You just cannot really explain the feeling of being part of this. But this year, it was cloudy and a little fog, well only if you looked outside. If you looked into the heart and soul of all that attended, it was not a morning without a sunrise, it was a glorious morning, but you had to see the sun in the faces and voices of those around you. As if they were cued in, the pelicans flew by in a perfect formation. If you do not believe in a divine power how do you explain how birds fly like that. I googled it to find out and it helps them conserve energy as that take advantage of the upwake field made by the wings of the bird in front of them, but it is still a marvel to watch.

Most churches say they are opening and welcoming to all, but when you are on a beach in a crowd of every sort and kind of person and other animals (it appears many dogs wanted to be part of the service and were present in all shapes and size and most very well behaved), you truly see an open, welcoming church. Church by definition can mean a body or organization of Christian believers, I am sure that there were people there who might not have Christian beliefs, but they wanted to be a part of a positive event to share a sprit with others. There were most likely those who had no clue if they believed, but wanted to be part of a gathering just to celebrate a new day.

Sitting and listening to all that was taking place, watching all of the people and their faces is a great way to start a new. Looking at the origins of the word Easter, you find that it is an English word, coming from Eostre or Eostrae, which is the Angelo Saxon goddess of Spring and fertility. Many of us would define it by commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, either way it is a joyful time of renewal and celebrating life, along with Spring and that is something we can all take part in celebrating.

Spring on the Peninsula is great, so many events and happenings take place each weekend. People coming down just to enjoy being outside. It stays light longer and we all stay outside more. You have many options of fun things to do with the festivals, fund raisers and just plain old parties of every shape and size. You hold your breath and wait and see what will come up from your garden, all the while making plans of what more you want to plant! I am currently grounded from buying anymore plants as the more I buy the more time it takes to water them all and at some point, I have to say no!

Spring will go by fast, it will get hot, the bugs will come, more and more people will come. It will be Hurricane season and we all watch the skies a little more and when the gulf gets mad, we are forced to take some action, so enjoy this time look for the sunrise, but remember just as in life when we cannot find the sunshine it always returns and we have many days to just marvel at a sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico.

[Apr-19-2022]