Happy Easter!

Go ahead and say it, “Happy Easter!”

There I was at the drugstore this morning getting some cookies and Band-Aids and as I looked at the clerk, a woman I’ve chatted with a dozen times before, I thought, “Maybe she doesn’t celebrate Easter so it probably wouldn’t be polite to wish her “Happy Easter!” 

I could settle for something a little more secular, like a friend who recently emailed me, “Happy Bunny Day!” or I could say something more generic about what a beautiful spring day it was. Happy Springtime? Happy Nice April Day

But then I considered what Easter means to me, this glorious sense of new life and this promise of joy and hope. I could give her that deep wish of peace and contentment or I could let it go. 

I tried to put myself in her shoes—all the while she’s ringing up my cookies and BandAids. Would I have been offended? No, not if the kindness and generosity were there. Last week when my Jewish friends were celebrating I was glad to hear “Happy Passover” from them.

So I said it. “Happy Easter!” 

“Happy Easter!” she said to me. She put my stuff in a bag and I walked out smiling. It was a great way to greet the day.