Easter rituals

I have not been back to my country for Easter for the last four years.
This year, particularly because of my mother's sudden departure, I have increased desire to be there.
It is rather impossible, unbearably impossible for me to be there.
I don't really care about the strictly religious aspect of Easter. I care about the spiritual.
I care about reinforcing familial bonds; being with the people I grew up with
I care about the funny rituals of Easter.
Tonight: The crucifixion: go to church by eight, go home and watch the second part of Jesus of Nazareth. Get together at my aunt's and drink.
Tomorrow morning: Epitaphios Decoration, Apokathelosis
Tomorrow evening: Epitaphios: Go to church around six forty five and catch the last of the Lamentations, stand outside the church with the rest of the crowd and wait for Epitaphios to come out. While waiting, converse with acquaintances you haven't seen since last Easter. When Epitaphios comes out, start walking toward Severis Avenue, right where P & P Ice Cream used to be and wait for Epitaphios to come by. While waiting, joke around with family and totally miss the fact that Epitaphios is really Jesus' funeral. Nevertheless, poking jokes at the pretentious attitude of the church-goers is really an integral part of Good Friday. When Epitaphios gets closer, proceed to get in position to admire the beautiful decorative flowers on it. Then, start walking behind it with the rest of the crowd. This year we are going to be minus one... Go home, watch the third part of Jesus of Nazareth. Get together at my aunt's and drink.
Saturday morning: Go to church early so that you make it for the part when the women found out that Christ was resurrected when they went to put spices on His body.
Saturday early evening: While watching the last part of Jesus of Nazareth prepare the soup. Go outside to the field around the corner and admire the fire in which a Judas doll is going to symbolically burn showing that traitors are usually punished, but also forgiven.
Saturday at around 11:45pm: Go to church for the Resurrection Service. Stand at the usual "family corner." Wonder whether all the members of the family will make it to church on time before the Resurrection. Poke jokes at each other and embarrass my mom (not really this year although I am sure that she will be looking down from Heaven giving us the same comments!) and my aunts. Get frustrated with the church's speakers/audio system which every year breaks down at the most important part of the service! Light the candles, try not burn people's clothes and hair.
Midnight: Jesus Resurrects to save the living and the dead from their sins. With him hope is reborn in all of us. The hope that our lives will become better with less hurting and more joy and happiness. With Jesus, our mom resurrects in our minds. She is going to be there by our side reminding us that traditions remind us of who we are. Rituals reinforce bonds and maintain a sense of direction and determination to make it where ever we are headed, learning and remembering on the way that it is not the destination that matters, but the journey. As the poet said: Ithaca gave you the beautiful journey...as wise as you now are you will know what Ithacas mean...
12:30am: Go home and eat the soup we previously cooked. Have a drink or two and go to bed.
Easter Sunday: Wake up late. Prepare for souvla eating, lots of it. Eat all day, drink all day and night.
That concludes Easter Sunday.
But, really there is Easter Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and the whole Easter Week which is really the week after Holy Week. It consists of lots of eating at other extended family members' house.
Easter is not about religion only.
It is about family.
It is about bonding.
Rebirth.
I miss this Easter.
I have created a version of it here. Not the same, but also mine.
This year is going to be difficult for all of them, all of us, going through the annual Easter rituals without having my mom there.
It is difficult for me to think of Easter without her.
I told her a couple of weeks before she left us that I really miss spending Easter with them
She replied, but we can't do differently, you cannot be here so don't be sad.
This time, it is all of us that cannot do any other way, so we should not be sad.
This is what she wanted.
So, lets all go through our traditions, our rituals, because they remind us of who we are and where we come from!
And that is something to be proud of!
Don't be sad, she would have never wanted that!