Good Friday = Easter, Bunnies and Chocolate

When Good Friday was celebrated across the world towards the end of March last year, I didn't feel remotely interested in even thinking about it, let alone embrace what is likely to be the most busiest day on the jam-packed motorways of the year. That cloudy Friday morning represented a soul-destroying tragedy which only time has been able to heal over the space of a long, exhausting year: the loss of my beloved cat, Tom. From the moment that I lost Tom, my interests in anything unrelated to him all but died out because there wasn't any spare room in my mind to focus my thoughts upon a lighter, if not less devastating subject, so I hardly paid any attention to Easter Sunday two days later as my mind had travelled elsewhere - even giving up my cherished bars of creamy chocolate for Lent didn't stir any emotions of pride for avoiding the preying clutches of temptation over a tiresome six week period.

However, I cannot possibly feel prouder over the fact that the once pitch black cloud of misery which shrouded me after Tom passed away on Good Friday last year has since shifted into a dazzling light of happiness, mostly thanks to my recent move to a quaint village situated in the delightful heart of the picturesque countryside. As I have long believed since my unforgettable furry pal flew to Kitty Heaven over a year ago - an adorable picture of whom has just become my new screensaver - I'm beyond glad that Good Friday and Easter Sunday change dates every year because I would have definitely hated to have associated the most religious dates in the calender with Tom's death for the rest of eternity. Of course, I may wrack my brains a little more strenuously in order to remember the date when my heavenly chocolate egg can be consumed, but it is a small price to pay because there was no possible way that I could celebrate Easter once again with death preying on my thoughts which, last March, provoked me to break down in a mascara-streaked stream of tears at any possible moment.

Anyway, with my newfound elation, I only wish to share my positive mood with you because it would be staying true to the meaning of Good Friday after all; as a long-held tradition, my family and I always make an effort to consume sticky, yet delightfully fruity hot cross buns on the morning of Good Friday as a sign that Easter is rapidly nearing us. Although I couldn't be bothered to read the instructions on the pack of spiced buns (my inner Miss Know-It-All struck once again) which unfortunately resulted in two slices of half-burnt bread, my on-top-of-the-world mood has nonetheless remained intact as I'm in one of those moods where hardly anything can put a damper on my new-found optimism.

Maybe the nearing prospect of getting my hands upon a decadent dark chocolate egg has lifted me beyond the typical realms of happiness or I'm finally beginning to feel like my new house is my home, but there is something wafting around in the atmosphere which I can't quite put my finger on, yet it feels absolutely wonderful and is probably one of the many reasons why I'm writing this with a massive smile curving on my lips. My 'dangerous' cold which was my main talking point several days ago is taking its first step towards recovery, so not only will yourselves be flooded with heartfelt relief at the news of no longer being obliged to read about my intake of blackcurrant-flavoured Calpol or look at pictures of throat-soothing lozenges, but I cannot wait to get rid of my blocked nose and occasionally dry throat - another cause for celebration, so I think! And, unlike yesterday which constantly provoked me to ask out loud whether a rainstorm was on its way, the sun is dazzling like a jewellery box filled with precious jewels in my bedroom, a pleasant sight of which is always welcome on a day like this.

Surely you must be wondering whether I've rolled out of bed on the wrong side or a tiny, egg-sized bump has been inflicted on my head, which could potentially be the cause of my out-of-the-blue sunny prospect of life? Being a teenager, I've become accustomed to putting my moaning duties before engaging in spirit-lifting activities because giving into my grumpy tendencies sometimes seems easier than trying harder at being happy, but there are occasions - such as today, for example - when I needn't lift a finger as to putting a wider-as-a-plasma-television grin on my face as it couldn't possibly be more natural. Living in such a peaceful area is constantly taking me surprise by its relentless stream of perks, so it is bound to take a while until I adjust to leading a life where I'm unaware as to what may be lurking around the corner. Like being strapped on the edge of your seat on a roller coaster, excitement races through my veins whenever I come across something new, which creates an unignorable itch to embark on a fresh adventure.

Now that I only have to wait two more days until Easter Sunday arrives - along with my chocolate-flavoured goodies which could possibly fill several aisles at the local supermarket - it is becoming increasingly harder to prevent myself from thinking about anything unassociated with the day, which holds a high importance for many people around the world. Instead of picking up yet another factory-made clone like the year before, I chose a luxury dark chocolate egg by British chocolatier Thorntons a few weeks ago, which thankfully brought a time of desperate frustration and pointless searches on Google to an abrupt end. Even my cocoa-loving self was struggling to understand why finding a decent chocolate egg seemed such an important task, which came a huge worry!

My brother, on the other hand, promptly decided against buying an Easter egg for himself as he much preferred to receive several Kinder eggs - the milk/white chocolate egg which contains a small toy that, in my opinion, is destined to be broken within minutes of playing with it - because he is determined to obtain all of these miniature Marvel figurines, which brings our years of devouring sugary, larger-than-ourselves cheap chocolate eggs to a halt. In many ways, I'm rather pleased that I've put my days of relishing bags upon bags of sugar-coated eggs behind me because it only meant extra care for my teeth which, as I celebrate my fifteenth year of stable dental health, are worthy of receiving proper care from myself, whose determination to steer clear of nasty fillings will hopefully never waver. And, as I get older, Easter means so much more than numerous Twirl bars - unlike what I used to live and breathe for as a young, sweet-craving child!

This Easter, my intention is to spend a pleasant day with my family and cherish the precious moments which we have spent together, reviewing the life-changing happenings of the past year and appreciating how far we have come since Easter last landed on our doorstep. More than a year on, my family and I have two new kittens - seven month year olds Bart 'Barticles' and Benny 'Bear' (when he stalks around in a volatile mood, Benny truly growls like an angered bear!) - and have just moved to our new home in the most beautiful county to have ever existed. I'm happy to have achieved so much in both my personal and academic life - running this blog counts as one of my most appreciated educational achievements, in case you didn't know - since I last ripped open my chocolate egg last Easter, but this year I will appreciate the rich flavour of the chocolate like never before because heartfelt elation will be the main ingredient behind it.

Tell me how I will be able to wait another two days until the chocolate bonanza - and an appearance from the Easter Bunny, whose wobbly stomach doesn't particularly advocate healthy eating - begins!