Rising Again: A Reflection for Easter

I captured this photo during a mass held on Cocoa Beach, Florida, in 2019, during my first bout with breast cancer.

Standing on the beach, watching the light spread across the horizon, I realized Easter means more than tradition. It speaks to something deeply human. Even in the presence of death, we are given the opportunity to rise again.

For those on a spiritual path, Easter represents resurrection. A powerful reminder that life, hope, and love endure. That what feels like an ending is not truly the end.

But beyond religion, there is a truth that speaks to us all.

We all experience moments when we come face-to-face with our own mortality. A diagnosis. A loss. A shift that changes everything. Moments when death feels close, not distant.

And still, we rise.

Not by denying it.

Not by turning away.

But by choosing how we live in its presence.

This is the lesson of Easter.

It is not only about a single moment in history. It is about what is possible within each of us. The quiet courage to keep living fully, even while holding the awareness that life is fragile.

Reflecting on my own journey, living with cancer has taught me that rising does not mean escaping death. It means living alongside it, without allowing it to define the fullness of our days.

It means choosing joy.

Choosing movement.

Choosing connection.

Choosing life, again and again.

This weekend invites us to pause.

To reflect.

To honour the blessings we have.

And to gently ask ourselves:

How will I rise from here?

Whether Easter is spiritual, personal, or simply a moment to pause and reset, may you find space to reconnect with your own strength.

Because even in the presence of death,

We are always capable of rising again.