Creating New Traditions

April 8, 2012
By: Josh Sharrow

As I sit here on the night of Easter, I started thinking about Easter traditions. Tradition has always been that my whole family would gather at my grandparent's home. Sausage, Cheese & Crackers would be on the table. Little date cookies, that only grandma liked, were heavily present. Uncle Charlie would always throw in one raw, colored egg, in the Easter basket.

I always seemed to open the raw egg.

Weird enough, that tradition took place only five or six years ago.

Today my tradition is very different. We woke up this morning to a very eager little three year old, ready to see what the Easter bunny brought him. Quickly it was time to get dressed up to go to Church (To be discussed in a later column).

After Church we stopped at Heather's Restaurant for a late breakfast, followed by a stop at my In-Law's home for Easter festivities. I even joined them outside for some "Man Work", and have a bloody knuckle to prove it. Now, the whole family is watching the movie HOP.

But, mid-day it occurred to me that my traditions have changed. I am no longer taking part in someone else's traditions, but am actually creating my own traditions for my own family.

Am I getting old?

I'm no longer close friends with any of my high school buddies, I am going to bed earlier, and finding enjoyment in things I never thought were enjoyable.

Finding enjoyment in things like sleeping for example. Currently, sleep would be great, considering the food induced coma I am almost in -- A tradition I hope never changes.

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world. - Susan Lieberman

This quote sums it up perfectly for me. The traditions that I relied on as a child are the ones I am supposed to continue with my son.

I just hope he picks the raw egg this time.