I believe in Easter Egg Hunts. As a child, I looked forward to Easter as a day to dress up pretty for church and eat a big Sunday brunch afterwards. Easter was a time for remembering the past and celebrating the promise that the future holds. But by far, my favorite part was the big Easter Egg Hunt at my house every year. Our ferns fanned out their curly green tendrils every Spring, creating a shady cool resting place underneath – perfect for Easter Eggs. All of my friends and neighbors would come over to take part in the “Big Hunt”. Our eyes would widen as we’d see eggs perched all around the yard, bright pink, blue, and yellow patterns inviting the excited participants to put them in our baskets. When the whistle blew, we’d run excitedly through the greenery, using our built in “egg radar” to scan for the glint of shiny plastic eggshells. At the end of the day we’d spill our stashes out onto the floor and watch the eggs tumble out of our baskets with delight. Then the candy feast would begin, and we’d stuff out mouths until the sugar rush dissolved into a sleepy contentment.

Back then we just hunted for yummy Easter treats - But like an Easter Egg, this event from childhood holds more than meets the eye. In fact, I believe that life is really just one big Easter Egg Hunt. The hidden eggs represent happiness, and we are the children searching for them. Sometimes eggs jump out at the searcher, their bright shells popping against the underbrush. Other times an egg is elusive, crouching under a dense thicket out of sight. And even though the yard is only so big and the eggs can’t get up and walk away, it may take all day to find the last of them. In fact, I’d venture to say that there are always a couple eggs that don’t get found until they are rediscovered in June or July, perhaps while weeding the yard or fixing a sprinkler. Like Easter eggs, some choices that lead to happiness are easy to see, like enjoying the company of good friends or watching a favorite movie. But other times life does a better job of hiding the right path from us, and we have to do a little more exploring to find it. The important thing to remember is that unlike an actual Easter Egg Hunt, there is no maximum number of happy moments in life. The number is infinite - In other words, there is always one more egg to find.

Thinking about all of the Easters I’ve celebrated so far, I am reminded of the joy I felt as a young child, triumphantly holding up a pink plastic egg with the jubilance of a miner striking gold. Easter is a holiday that celebrates new beginnings and gives kids an excuse to feast on candy. But when Spring rolls around each year, I am reminded that happiness is always present in life, you just have to know where to look.