With the advent of Easter Sunday approaching this weekend for all of our observing Christian readers, it seems an appropriate time in light of recent events to dig deeper into the themes that have made Easter an enduring and celebrated holiday, and why these themes matter in our modern world.

Regardless of whether you actively practice the Christian faith or believe in the gospel associated with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, there exists an underlining feeling of hope and renewal associated with this time of year — the coming of spring, warmer weather, flowers and green buds popping up on tree canopies — that can act as a salve to restore the mind, body, and spirit.

Especially in recent times, we have been given so many reasons to withdraw into darkness, an impulse brought on by various tragedies, inconveniences, and general negativity seen in the world around us.

Bridges collapsing (like seen in Baltimore this week) or causing day-to-day chaos for commuters, gun violence shocking the Warwick community, scams targeting our most vulnerable residents, political distrust and hatred flung between former friends and neighbors due to the impending Presidential Election. All of these sources of pain can make us feel as though our world has been forsaken, and forgotten.

But as we have seen countless times over the course of our own lives, these acts of death, despair, and destruction, and the defeatism that is generated as a result, is only one side of a coin.

Look a little closer, and you will always find people helping one another, coming together despite differences to make the world a little better. You will see happy couples beginning a lifelong journey of parenthood together, young adults earning certification in a trade program that will blossom into a fruitful career, businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries with customers they’ve known for decades, and a million little kind gestures and supportive embraces in between that will never make the nightly news.

If Easter teaches one thing to its faithful believers, it is that an ultimate good follows an act of ultimate evil, and that no act of malice can overcome this reaction of benevolence.

While we do not endorse one faith above any other at our publications, we find the hopeful and enduring message of Easter to be one that we can all find some comfort in. We hope all members of our communities enjoy a safe and happy Easter weekend, and find some of that hope in whatever form it may take.