Passover Seder

Friday night, Kevin and I attended a Passover Seder hosted and conducted by Dr. Victor L Ludlow, BYU Professor of Ancient Scripture. I have been aware of this annual event for many years and finally had the opportunity to participate. Dr. Ludlow led the group through the 14 steps of the Seder Service, which included reviewing the story of the first Passover, eating, singing, recitation- all with wonderful explanations and commentary. It was a wonderful and enlightening evening. The one low point was the eating of 'bitter herbs', symbolizing the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. The 'herb' was a potent preparation of horseradish. I am not sure that I can adequately explain the initial shock to the senses upon eating it. That however was not the worst part. After I ate it, it burned in my stomach the rest of the evening, leaving me feeling like I might need to run for the restroom at any moment. Definitely a powerful symbol.
Dr. Ludlow was the President of the Frankfurt, Germany Mission when I was a teenager living in Germany- well, West Germany, at the time. I heard him speak several times- once at Youth Conference that I remember particularly. This was at the General Walker Hotel in Bavaria that has since been torn down. I have poignant memories of the beautiful scenery, the great fun, and the deep spiritual experiences I enjoyed there. I also studied the book of Isaiah with Dr. Ludlow at BYU. I was surprised after so long that I recognized his voice before I saw him.
I am uplifted by the intersection of past experience with new learning and understanding. Because of the many places and people from my youth that I will never see again, I treasure opportunities to reconnect with the past in my present circumstances.