Who isn’t weary and wary by now of impending hardships and struggles lurking around every corner waiting to bite you on the ass? Who doesn’t want a reason to cast aside concerns and find a reason to laugh until your sides ache?  Must the gravity of our times completely obscure and overshadow even the best opportunities and chances we have for celebrations?  The birth of a new baby, the union of two people in love, the witnessing of a milestone birthday or the graduations of our young people from highschool and college, these are all wonderful and necessary calls for celebrations. Can we recognize and respect  the need for solemnity and sincerity  in caring for one another while at the same time acknowledge and appreciate the dire need for celebrations of the wonderful things that are still happening every day?

Celebrations are a necessity in our lives as human beings.   Need they be in keeping with tradition or raucous and without thought? Why not think outside the box and celebrate the various accomplishments and joys in our lives in new and creative ways? Maybe we could celebrate with others by starting a brand new tradition or approach.

 A recent story about a young couple who chose to marry in front of their guests in the church parking lot where the invites watched in their air conditioned cars as the young loves kissed themselves into wedded bliss while the wedding goers honked and cheered them on from their drive-in wedding vehicles, and then let bubble wands blow at the masked bride and groom as they passed.  Not the traditional, perhaps not the fairy tale image the two had conjured prior to Covid19, but a celebration to be remembered with unique and charming points all its own.

There are some people who are shaming those who have events they want to celebrate by asking them to be patient -to wait for this time to pass. They openly accuse those who are longing to rejoice of selfish indulgence. Can we who have lived, blame the young for wanting the chance to shine in their light? Perhaps large, lavish events are unwise and unsafe. Alternative ways to delight and revel must be found. Celebrations are our chance to enjoy the breath we breathe and be grateful. We hear of microaggressions in the news – how about microcelebrations and microjubilations for the good things? Be thoughtful and creative and celebrate with safety but don’t rain on the parade that someone rightfully earned out of your sense of prudence and caution.

Hooray for the newest humans who have entered this year. Perhaps they will be the future who will lead us all to understanding that new life is a reason to celebrate. New life is opportunity and hope.  New graduates too should be celebrated and cheered and encouraged to see not scarcity and fear but chance and change and choice in their paths.  Celebrate these people. Cheer and encourage and enjoy the accomplishments with kind words, hands in the air, smiles and acknowledgment.  We must be thoughtful and careful now in gathering, for the health and safety of us all, but we still have much reason in life to be grateful. Celebrations can continue in a modified but still joyful way.

What reason can you find today to celebrate? What creative ways can you offer to celebrate a happy event in someone else’s life?