To Believe or not to Believe that is the Question
To believe or not to believe in the Easter Bunny that is the question. Do you believe in the Easter Bunny? I have already proved that there is in fact a real Easter Bunny, check out my previous blog “Is there a Real Easter Bunny?” Every year I get asked the same question a million times by my students, “Mrs. Carlsen, do you believe in the Easter Bunny?” Kids want to know the truth, their friends or older siblings put thought, questions, ideas in their heads about who the real Easter Bunny is. The smartest kiddos turn to a trusted adult, such as a teacher for the answer. My answer is “Yes, I believe in the Easter Bunny!” At this point their little friends who put these ideas, and questions in their heads are counter answering my “Yes” with their “No there isn't. I saw my mom hiding the eggs.” I could use this as an opportunity to teach a mini history lesson, but they aren’t so interested in the history of the Easter Bunny, but if their teacher believes there is an Easter Bunny! If I believe, because teacher know everything, then no matter what their unbelieving friends told them there must be an Easter Bunny. So instead of teaching the origins of the Oster Hare I tell several stories from my childhood that proves jjthere is an Easter Bunny and that the Easter Bunny brings more in the baskets than just candy and plastic eggs.
As a little girl I never really thought about where the Easter Basket came from until one special Easter. The year when I was about four years old and we were moving to a new house. I will never forget that Easter because the day before Easter everything we owned including our beds, toys, and our Easter Baskets were packed in the moving truck. My family all slept together in sleeping bags on the floor of the living room for our last night in our old home. I remember wondering what it would be like in our new home way out in the woods and would Santa and the Easter Bunny find us. When I woke up Easter Sunday to my grand surprise at the foot of my sleeping bag sat my Easter Basket filled with treats and a beautiful new Redhead Cabbage Patch doll. Her name was Daisy. The Easter Bunny said she was to be my new friend and she would help me feel safe moving to our new home in the woods. Daisy is still my favorite baby doll and holding her always makes me feel safe and loved. The Easter Bunny knows where you are no matter if you move cities and your Easter Basket is packed away in a moving truck. That proved to me, without a doubt that there is an Easter Bunny!
The Easter Bunny is more than just a fuzzy woodland animal who leaves treats. He is a symbol of new life, of joy, and the sharing of love. I learned this lesson the year my big brother woke up extra early, found all the eggs that the Easter Bunny hid, took all the treats out of them, then using his eidetic memory hid all the eggs exactly where he found them! So when I woke up at a normal reasonable hour to hunt for the eggs all I found were empty eggs! At first I was so confused and so sad, but looking back my brother was helping the Easter Bunny give me the greatest gift of all! An empty egg, which is what the Easter Bunny always leaves for my students. Your question now is probably, why am I so excited about an empty egg! Well think about it, there was something else that was empty on Easter Morning….Jesus’ tomb!!!! An empty egg reminds us of Jesus’ resurrection!! Alleluia He is Risen!!! The Easter Bunny got a little help from my genius brother in teaching me the truth about Easter, but that’s one lesson I will alway hold deep in my heart. Do I believe in the Easter Bunny, “Yes”! I believe in joy, in peace, and sharing Chist’s love! Which the Easter Bunny is joy, He is peace, He shares Christ love and hope.
The Easter Bunny may need help to share his joy and that’s why Alleluia Basket is the perfect nonprofit to help! They are all about sharing the joy! So the next time someone asks you, if you believe in the Easter Bunny will you say, “Yes”!
From the midnight writing nook of Deanna Carlsen