I love the little things in life. If you're a parent, you know the ones I'm talking about. Things like the cute way your son or daughter says "basgetti" instead of spaghetti when they're little. Or the excitement they exude when the Tooth Fairy comes to visit.
Last night, my daughter lost a tooth and like many kids, she was excited about the Tooth Fairy stopping by. She has come to associate loosing a tooth with the receipt of money from the Tooth Fairy because traditionally, she has received money for each tooth. Sure enough, just as in the past, this morning, she assured me that the Tooth Fairy had come.
Life is rich in traditions. Some that we create and others that are passed down from generation to generation. Traditions like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. As I sat awake last night waiting on the "Tooth Fairy" to come by, I began to think about how our traditions are an important part of who we are.
Traditions allow us to share experiences and memories with each other. That's why they're important. It's not the tradition itself that really matters, it's the people and the relationships behind them that define their value. Traditions provide us with opportunities to share life and laughter with each other, all while building priceless memories together.
I hope that everyone is seeking out opportunities to build traditions in their families. I believe they play a vital part in the memories we carry with us from our childhoods and into our eventual roles as parents. Many of the traditions our parents share with us we pass down and share with our kids. Then, our kids pass them down to their kids. And on and on the tradition goes.
Take the time to share traditions with your kids. By sharing positive traditions with your kids, you share relationships and by sharing relationships you share laughter and love. Who in this world doesn't agree that we could all use some more laughter and love?
Tradition. A powerful tool in Mother Nature's toolbox to cement a tribe together and help ensure it's survival. Unfortunately, tradition has a dark side. It is too often used to separate "us" from "them", and we're hardwired to mistrust "them". Sometimes, it even evolves into a religion that encourages intolerance, prejudice, hatred, and even violence against "them". In short, tradition is like most powers -- wonderful and vital when used wisely, but terribly destructive when not.
ReplyDelete