Easter and the egg: A celebration of life

When you think about it, it seems like the oddest of traditions. First we decorate eggs. Then we hide them. Then we hunt for them. Why?

Who really wants to find hard-boiled eggs hidden in their yards and homes?

But there's a reason we do it.

In ancient civilizations, the egg was seen as the symbol of the universe. In Pagan times, it was believed to have special powers, as life sprang forth from its hardened shell.

It was celebrated in spring festivals to represent the birth of a new season.

Christianity adopted the egg to symbolize, instead of nature's rebirth, the rebirth of Christ. The shell of the egg was likened to the tomb from which he rose Easter morning.

This Easter, in particular, there has been much national focus on life. As Terri Schiavo's case has captured headlines, we have watched as ordinary people, theologians and lawmakers have debated what it really means to be alive.

Whichever side of the debate you stand on - or if you're caught somewhere in the middle - one message has stood out. Life is precious. Your life is precious.

And that's what the Easter egg represents.

This is the season of new birth, the time to decide the meaning of your own life.