EASTER at the REYNOLDS' HOUSE 04/13/01

Subj: [women] Mindwalkers - Easter at the Reynolds' house
Date: 4/13/01 6:58:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

When I was a little girl. we would get up early on Easter morning so we could have the hunt before leaving for church. That might not sound so unusul, but remember that it took us two hours by trolley to get to church in Arbutus - one way.

We could hardly sleep the night before. After a brief breakfast, it was time to look for our Easter baskets. If the weather cooperated, they would be hidden outside and we had the fun and excitement of looking high and low for them. It the weather was rainy - or snowy - the baskets were put on the piano.

There would be one basket for each of us at home (if the older children - Dot, Al or Bob - were at the Academy, they would have stayed in Bryn Athyn for Easter). We had a Steinway, so there was plenty of room. (Other than the Easter baskets, we never put anything on the piano except sheet music.)

The Easter basket would be filled with jelly beans and dyed eggs and other treats. Back then, in our family at least, children did not dye the eggs - the Easter Bunny brought them. It was almost magic to little children to find an everyday egg turned glorious!

One thing I almost forgot - Betty and I always got a new pair of shoes at Easter, black patent leather "Mary Janes." It felt so special walking into the church service after the long ride, listening to the beautiful music, seeing the flowers, and sporting a new pair of shoes.

Mother did not go with us to church; she stayed home and prepared the Easter dinner. I remember the delicious aromas as we opened the door.

(I also remember that when we walked back into the house, after another two hour trolley ride, it was a toss up what the children wanted more - dinner or a quick dash to the bathroom!)

I loved my basket, but if I had to choose - even as a child - between the basket, the flowers or the music, I think I would have chosen the music, the flowers, and the basket, in that order. I loved the Easter songs we sang at church - still do. ("When Very Early In the Dawn" and "Morn of Joy, Morn of Praise" are two of my all-time favorite hymns.) The flowers were beautiful and somehow filled me with a sense of hope - still do.

Blessings and best wishes for a happy Good Friday - Katharine Reynolds Lockhart