Traditions; boy, that word kind of went right out the window this holiday season! Large family gatherings, office parties, church socials and Christmas programs were either cancelled or scaled back. In our small town, we didn’t even have a Christmas parade! The things that we love so much about the season just weren’t done this past year.
Traditions are important to us. They define who our people are and when we can’t spend time with them it can be very disheartening. Our people can be our family, our church, our community, etc. They’re the ones we long to gather with on special occasions and holidays. Sorry, but Facetime and Zoom are just not the same.
In the church, especially a Baptist church, we are all about tradition. Traditions are good in that they help us remember who and what has come before us. Plus, they give us a sense of structure and belonging. In my family, traditions are changing and developing to meet the needs of my adult children.
The fact is though that traditions change and people struggle with change. Sometimes we have to redefine and adjust traditions to meet the needs of the current situation. It’s all about negotiating the old and the new until we can agree on a different tradition. In this season of challenges with COVID, don’t give up your traditions. They matter. Just find a new way to make them work.
Happy New Year!
Blessings, Cindy J.
Footprints of Hope 