April 6 – Celebrate

I was at Ocean City today for a Presbyterian Women’s retreat. It was cool but there was a big group of kids out on the beach – doing what, I don’t know, but they were having fun. At the hotel next door there was a group of young adults celebrating on the patio. They were probably on spring break.

I think about how the ways we celebrate change. When we are little, birthday parties are the thing. The excitement is all about cake and games, goodie bags and opening gifts. They get all wound up because of the specialness of the occasion. They eat too much cake and somebody throws up. Somebody cries.

And these college kids on spring break. All the excitement is about being out of school, away from home, in an exotic location. They get all wound up and drink too much. Somebody throws up. Somebody cries.

It’s not all that different, I guess. Eventually we get old enough to have discovered the virtue of moderation – I hope – so we don’t throw up as much anymore. And we are less inclined to cry at parties – but you never know.

Later in the day, after the kids left, there was a wedding on the beach. The men were wearing suits and the women in high heels trying to walk on the sand. There was a pirate walking around the hotel – which I didn’t quite understand – and he hugged and posed for pictures with the bride and her father. 

It was about 50 degrees; the bride wore a strapless gown. But she didn’t seem cold – she was too busy celebrating.