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Over the Easter weekend, social media was filled with children, both young and at heart, participating in Easter egg hunts.
From plastic eggs, decorated boiled eggs, to eggs filled with treats, gifts and cash, Easter egg hunts have become part of not only the Easter holiday, but spring tradition.
If you haven’t participated in one, here’s the skinny: someone(s) hides eggs and a group of people are then charged with filling baskets or bags with the most eggs. The person who gets the most eggs is generally considered the winner, although some hunts include such surprises as golden eggs, which is perhaps special or filled with a more significant prize.
It’s a fun Easter tradition that goes back centuries.
Early Christians considered the egg itself a symbol of spring and new life, making the egg itself a symbol of resurrection and the empty shell a nod to the empty tomb. During the medieval period, eating Eggs during Lent was forbidden, and thus a treat at Easter. By 1290 Edward I had 450 eggs decorated with colors and gold leaf and distributed throughout his household, according to EnglishHeritage.org.
The actual Easter egg Hunt is often attributed to the 16th century when Martin Luther organized hunts for his congregation in which the men would hide them and the women and children would look for them. The tradition of women and children searching for the eggs served as a reference to the women finding Jesus’ empty tomb.
Today, Easter egg hunts are fun, but they’re more than that. Easter egg hunts are activities that allow people to go full throttle for what they want, searching high and low to achieve their goals.
The greedy people, pushing other folks out the way, are noted and seen as such. The tactful hunters who collect their eggs quietly are also apparent. That running and smiling ear-to-ear, eager egg hunter is also witnessed as well.
Full of high energy, joy and beautiful treats, Easter egg hunts can be a lesson in the beauty of searching for what you want full throttle, while also supporting and cheering on others.
No one, despite how many eggs collected or cash won, should be bitter after Easter egg hunts.
As we begin the second quarter of the year, let’s maintain the same vigor in achieving our goals as Easter egg hunters. Let’s keep that same energy, not just in the Easter and spring season but year-round.