Easter is the time for Love

With Easter approaching from just around the corner, it's easy to get swept up in the chaos of the holiday. Painting and hiding eggs, creating the perfect chocolate-filled basket, and color-coordinating everyone for the perfect springtime picture, the Sunday can seem to fly by in a blink. Usually by the time you sit down for a big, Easter spread, you're just glad the antics are over and you can rest just a little before work or school resumes on Monday.

But that's not what Easter is about.

Don't get me wrong, as a kid I loved the story about the Easter bunny and being rewarded with Peeps for every egg I found. There's nothing wrong with the fun, pastel-coated sweet side of the Holiday. But eating candy and chocolate until we get stomach aches isn't what we should focus on when Easter does roll around.

For those who didn't grow up going to Church, the real Easter story is all about how Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to save the world from its sins. Easter Sunday is in remembrance of the day He rose again, redeeming humanity and offering grace and salvation to all who seek it. The holiday is to remind us of how this great act of Love provided hope for everyone.

And that's what Easter is really all about. It's about remembering how important and powerful love is. That love is the most important thing we can have for others and show to those around us.

In a time where the world seems more divided than ever before, it can be hard to show love or patience to people who have different opinions from us. It often feels like everyone is operating with a mindset that they're right and they'll do anything to make everyone agree with them-- even at the expense of others.

And that's not okay. At all.

It's fine to have opinions, but there's no need to put those who disagree down for having them. People are people. At the end of the day, we have just as many similarities as we do differences, and that should count for something. I know it's cheesy to say, but it's true:

Everyone matters.

Everyone deserves love.

Everyone is valued and important.

So for this Easter, definitely enjoy the fun, candy-coated aspects, the cute Instagram pictures, and the amazing meal you'll have. But also remember to enjoy those around you too. Take the chance this week and this Sunday to show love and light to everyone you come in contact with. Because we are all worth it.

Love y'all!