Let us imagine for a moment that our lives are like the baskets that our children will use after the service to collect colorful eggs and candy. And as we welcome that imaginative connection, let us pause for a moment to accept a blessing.

May the things that you collect in your basket, like painted eggs and colorful flowers and Easter grass, bring to you a new appreciation of beauty.

May the things that you collect in your basket, like chocolates and jelly beans, bring your life sweetness.

May your basket always be full enough that you are able to share your bounty with others, especially those whose baskets do not contain as much.

May your basket be large enough to accept the occasional disappointment of an empty Easter egg or, perhaps, a sticker instead of a Hershey kiss.

May your life, like the egg before it is opened or the ribbon before it is untied, offer up new surprises that bring joy.

And finally, may your life, like the reeds of the basket, be interwoven with others, partaking in a community to celebrate all that is good.

In the spirit of the little things that offer to us cherished meanings, may our lives, indeed, be blessed.