The Cascarón on the Capitol Steps

My family and I celebrated Easter together over a long weekend of no school and did all the kid things we could find in Des Moines (I think my kiddo would have moved into the Science Center of Iowa if given the choice). They took off for home late Sunday morning after a quick egg hunt in my capital city digs which left me solo for the day.

A Quiet Easter Afternoon

The sunny sky and perfect temp meant an outdoor walk was in order. I have the habit of picking up trash on walks and discovered a perfectly in-tact cascarón while scanning the ground. Cascarones are hollowed-out eggshells decorated with paint or dye, filled with confetti, and sealed with tissue paper and are traditionally cracked over people’s heads during Easter, among other celebrations to bring good luck, blessings and affection primarily in the Southwestern US and Mexico.

A Memory That Stuck

I first learned of cascarones in Señora Loecker’s high school Spanish class - she would make the confetti with a hole punch and old worksheets. That high school Spanish class, and subsequent college major, was probably one of my earliest bids for connection to the world outside of what I knew and being conversationally bilingual is my most favorite party trick and one of the things I am proudest of. My accent is far from perfect and I struggle with some dialects more than others but there is no thrill like the one I get from a native Spanish speaker recognizing my effort to connect and meeting me somewhere between charades and Spanglish.

Finding this uncrushed cascarón on Easter Sunday on the steps of the Capitol felt like a nudge from the Creator to stay hopeful for the luck and blessings that can be found in the most unlikely of places. If you celebrated Easter, I hope that you found your own version of a blessing.