As we enter adulthood, we find ourselves at a crossroad. We can either carry with us the traditions and practices of the family we came from, or we can refocus and recenter our ideas and beliefs towards what we want in this world and out of life. But there is a third option that I want to encourage you in.
Traditions are like a warm hug
Traditions should be like a warm hug. They should be filled with joy and nostalgia. What traditions from your childhood feel like that to you? As you think through that, you can write them down or put them somewhere you’ll remember. Not all traditions have to be continued. Not all of them have to be stopped. I really do want to encourage you that there are no rules when it comes to tradition.
Guess what, some years, it’s just not going to happen. And that is 100% okay. There will be growing pains too. There will be things that you find will no longer suit you in the life stage you’re in. And there are times where it doesn’t feel tangible or possible to practice that tradition.
When I first got married, my husband and I both struggled with reestablishing the traditions that we carried from our childhood and creating new ones. Ultimately, we were able to identify what was truly important for this or that tradition. And then we narrowed it down to what we can keep up with and what marks a significant moment. For example, every Christmas Eve he reads me the Polar Express. Silly, I know. But the first year we were dating, we were apart for Christmas and he called me and read that story to me. Every year, when we pull out the book, it is just a sweet reminder of that moment when we first started dating and would do these little things to hold each other dearly.
Whatever route you decide, remember that you can make the rules. There is no tradition overlord that is going to come down and smite you for not doing one ritual or another. Tradition is there so we can remember, recall, and enjoy the pieces that we love and hold dearly.
In Rememberance...
Whether you identify it or not, the Bible is FILLED with tradition setting and execution. When Jesus was at the last supper, he instructed all of his followers to “do this in remembrance of me.” And to this day, you’re hard pressed to find Christian church that doesn’t practice communion. Our faith traditions are just as important our our familial traditions. But please remember that traditions are about the heart of things. Not just repetition for the sake of it.
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