WHERE"S THE BONNET?

Notes of Concern…

   …Jack Blair

WHERE’S THE BONNET

I am writing on Easter Sunday.

Having attended events at two churches, I am ready to declare that the Easter Bonnet no longer exists!

When I was growing up, the ladies, especially on Easter, could be found at church with the most beautiful and colorful bonnets. Some were expensive, some were homemade, but they sure brightened up the occasion. 

They were the most beautiful and colorful bonnets.  Made from straw, or linen, or other fabrics, they were graced with roses and camellias, violets and daisies, even the occasional magnolia blossom.  

You could see lace trim, bits of mesh or veils, and ribbons of all hues, fashioned into bows or streaming down the back of the wearer.  There were feathers: pheasant or peacock or dyed and unidentifiable.  Occasionally, one could even find a bird perched among the greenery or flowers.  It was a veritable burst of brilliance, fluff, and femininity

.I am from a generation that thought women looked beautiful in hats. I cannot imagine who convinced them otherwise. If we knew who he was we could make him wear a bonnet every Sunday for a year.

In fact I am thinking of organizing a march to oppose this loss of tradition.

 It would be held on a Sunday. 

Participants would skip church. Everyone who misses seeing Easter bonnets in church would gather in Washington, wearing beautiful bonnets, and we would march on The White House where I will have convinced Melania Trump to appear on the Truman balcony in a festive bonnet. I doubt that this effort would bring bonnets back, but since in a recent column I encouraged people to speak out and demonstrate peacefully, this seems like a good suggestion.

The participation of radicals would not be encouraged, and we would absolutely not burn all our bonnets at the gate of The White House.

Seriously, in my two church events this Easter, each held in a large church with a large assembly of people, I saw THREE bonnets.  I made sure to speak to each of these ladies to compliment them. One of them actually said if I liked hers so much, she would let me wear it. I think she missed the suggestion of feminine beauty in my argument.

At my church, I noticed as I approached for Sunday service a lot of kids engaged in an egg hunt on the church grounds. They were running here and there with their little baskets filling up with eggs.  

I thought to myself, maybe I should encourage a bonnet hunt for next year.