As the Dylan song goes, truly everyone is stronger than you think. No time for the decades-long fad of whining and moaning. And if one only looks closely, there’s a certain rush to be had in rushing forward towards whatever unknown is ahead. So, it’s alright, ma. Painful or not, even at the cost of bleeding, it’s going to be just fine. Just one of a few random thoughts at Easter. And holy cow, perhaps the only positive one among them. Admittedly, I am not anymore like one of the true-blue, dye-in-the-wool practicing Catholics like many of my friends who see Easter Sunday as hope. I have instead gone out at times, frolicking in the waters where moaners and complainers love to swim in. And many times because of that, have toads coming out of our mouths. I hope that’s not the case anymore.
While still on the subject, let it be known that through the years, I have indulged in so many activities which I believe, purposely-sought to erase the memories of stricter conditions at Lent during our childhood. Back in the 60s, there used to be a long list of what not to do during the season of Holy Week. Among these, we kids were not allowed to make loud noises or even take baths on Good Friday. Also instilled in us were such wacky beliefs like, if you had so much as a wound on Good Friday, bad luck for you, it would take a long time to heal. And another, Black Saturday was the time when evil spirits came out because God was dead. Instead, the kids’ times were mostly spent on either reading passages from the bible or joining in the recitation of the mysteries.
Thus, when I first started working years later, like a cat out of the sack, I and some friends immediately spent our few days of Lent up in the mountains. And since then, during other Lenten occasions, it either meant cavorting on an island like Camiguin, at any nearby beach or spending Holy Week camping up in the countryside.
I remember a Time cover in the 80s which heralded the coming of the Me generation. Wish I could read that once again because I’m doubting its veracity. Not much has changed. I believe that nowadays, this has even become more of the norm than the exception. So, it’s still the time of ‘do what you want’ and ‘don’t rain on others’ parades’ kind of mindset. Let one’s idea of things to do at Easter be their personal choice. Along with this, especially in the time of social media, it’s really ok now to whine and moan.
Where does the Dylan song fit again in all this?
