On Friday April 19, there are two very important celebrations of life occurring. It is the first day of the Hebrew Passover and Christian Good Friday leading to Easter Sunday. They both celebrate life and arrive in the spring when all of nature is blossoming after a long, dark winter.
My memories of Easter, growing up in a small town with maybe a population of 500, include my mother sewing matching dresses for my sister and me to wear to Sunday school. After church, we looked forward to finding colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, dad reading us the Sunday funny papers and a wonderful family supper. My mother would bake her special holiday dinner rolls. She is still remembered by three family generations who continue to bake her dinner rolls every holiday throughout the year.
As I grew older and did a little novice religious study, I learned Easter and Passover traditions correspond roughly on the calendar each year based on the timing of the full moon nearest the spring equinox. I had an opportunity to attend my first Saddar more than 20 years ago and appreciated the rich symbolism associated with a reverential ceremony of gratitude and remembrance. About ten years ago, I was invited to participate regularly in a large mixed religion family celebration where both holidays were honored. In contrast to my mother’s dinner rolls, unleavened bread is served at the Passover meal to remember the swift exodus from slavery with no time for bread to rise.
These celebrations emphasized inclusion, springtime, rebirth, reawakening and the joy of new life manifested in this world, here and now, in this life. No matter what our beliefs and traditions may be, I believe that spring is an opportune time to consciously choose to let go of anything in the more distant past or maybe just over the winter months that is holding us back or weighing us down. It is an opportunity to embrace new life, new beginnings and consider how we want to create our future, one day at a time, over the rest of our life.
The question that I ask myself is, “What do I want my life and our world to look like now and in the future and what are the steps, even though small, that I can take each day to create it?”
My work at the American College of Healthcare Sciences fulfills one of my desired steps which is to help create a healthier planet. I am fortunate to be part of an organization that practices sustainability and is educating determined students beginning their careers while also supporting committed graduates who’ve already embarked on their individual holistic health journeys.
This is an especially exciting time for the college as we recently celebrated its 40 year milestone anniversary and the continued visionary dedication of its inspirational president and founder, Dorene Petersen. Her dream, foresight and perseverance made it possible for students all over the world to receive integrative health distance learning education even before the internet. These many thousands of graduates are now living testimonials of wellness and they are each continuing to use their holistic health education in support of their many hundreds of clients.
It’s the success stories of our students and graduates that make our work at American College of Healthcare Sciences a joy. Working together, the entire college staff and faculty are directly and indirectly impacting and improving the lives of many thousands of people each and every day.
Springtime is all about new beginnings, inspiration, new hope and the amazing opportunity to reflect on what we will choose to create and shape our future to hold. No matter our age or situation we can each take small steps and sometimes even leaps to make our lives and this world a better place. I wish you joy as you embark on your journey to create and live the life you love.
Do you want to join the global holistic health initiative and connect with holistic heroes worldwide?
About American College of Healthcare Sciences
Founded in 1978, ACHS.edu is a Portland, Ore.-based, accredited college offering online, on-campus, and study abroad integrative health education. With undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and continuing education units in integrative health, ACHS makes holistic health and wellness education accessible to a diverse community, including healthcare professionals, military students, stay-at-home parents, and lifelong learners. Specializations include aromatherapy, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, and integrative health. ACHS is a Certified B Corporation® and was named two of 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon 2017 by Oregon Business magazine. ACHS is also accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In response to our commitment to service members, veterans and military spouses, ACHS has been designated as one of the top 16% of military-friendly institutions in the U.S. for nine years in a row. For more information visit achs.edu.
