A Beginning
There are customs and traditions that go back centuries, even millenia. It is wonderful when you are doing something that your ancestors had once done, or that you are keeping the culture of your people alive.
These cusoms and traditions can be seen in so many ways. Dancing is one -- the Irish folk dancing that was popularized in Riverdance is a great example. Food customs are another.
One of the few things I miss in life is a lack of real tradition. Both of my parents came from homes where any traditions had been somewhat, if not entirely, cut off. My mother's parents were both deaf. They worked through their disabilities, but much of the Italian and Polish culture that they grew up with was not passed on to their children. My mother, for example, leanred to cook Italian from her sister-in-law, not from some old family recipe. One exception to that is the stuffing recipe from her grandmother that is used by everyone in the family for Thanksgiving. It was originally a stuffing for tortellini and is one of the most sacred dishes in our family. The only other tradition passed down was that of the Catholic church, which has since been largely rejected.
My father's family traditions were interrupted by several factors, most notably alcoholism. Nonetheless, my grandmother's German traditions are largely gone. ANd since my father never knew his father's side of the family until recently, the Jewish heritage and tradition is completely absent.
For much of my life I felt I was missing out on something. There was no history in my family, nothing to pass down.
Or so I thought.
The fact is, my parents are sort of the very first of the line in our family. It is something made even more appropriate considering the name Anderson was given to us by someone unrelated. In family terms, my father then is Adam and my mother is Eve.
What that means is that we have a unique opportunity to create our own traditions. We are creating customs to pass down to our children. It is our values, our routines, our lives, that go into the development of Anderson family tradition.
We've already begun. A few weeks ago we made tomato sauce. It will be an annual affair. Our five-course Christmas dinners will hopefully be passed from me down to Jonathan one day. My mother's July 4th seafood dish will also be handed down to the next generation.
Other traditions will also, hopefully, be passed on. My father, sister and I are all writers. Perhaps that will continue. My father is an avid fisherman. We've taken Jonathan fishing, and will continue to do so. Both my father and wife have worked to educate others. My mother has created an environment where both her children have a deep appreciation for cooking. I hope to pass my love of adventure on to Jonathan.
What I had previously considered an empty space has become a glorious opportunity.
How very lucky I am.
These cusoms and traditions can be seen in so many ways. Dancing is one -- the Irish folk dancing that was popularized in Riverdance is a great example. Food customs are another.
One of the few things I miss in life is a lack of real tradition. Both of my parents came from homes where any traditions had been somewhat, if not entirely, cut off. My mother's parents were both deaf. They worked through their disabilities, but much of the Italian and Polish culture that they grew up with was not passed on to their children. My mother, for example, leanred to cook Italian from her sister-in-law, not from some old family recipe. One exception to that is the stuffing recipe from her grandmother that is used by everyone in the family for Thanksgiving. It was originally a stuffing for tortellini and is one of the most sacred dishes in our family. The only other tradition passed down was that of the Catholic church, which has since been largely rejected.
My father's family traditions were interrupted by several factors, most notably alcoholism. Nonetheless, my grandmother's German traditions are largely gone. ANd since my father never knew his father's side of the family until recently, the Jewish heritage and tradition is completely absent.
For much of my life I felt I was missing out on something. There was no history in my family, nothing to pass down.
Or so I thought.
The fact is, my parents are sort of the very first of the line in our family. It is something made even more appropriate considering the name Anderson was given to us by someone unrelated. In family terms, my father then is Adam and my mother is Eve.
What that means is that we have a unique opportunity to create our own traditions. We are creating customs to pass down to our children. It is our values, our routines, our lives, that go into the development of Anderson family tradition.
We've already begun. A few weeks ago we made tomato sauce. It will be an annual affair. Our five-course Christmas dinners will hopefully be passed from me down to Jonathan one day. My mother's July 4th seafood dish will also be handed down to the next generation.
Other traditions will also, hopefully, be passed on. My father, sister and I are all writers. Perhaps that will continue. My father is an avid fisherman. We've taken Jonathan fishing, and will continue to do so. Both my father and wife have worked to educate others. My mother has created an environment where both her children have a deep appreciation for cooking. I hope to pass my love of adventure on to Jonathan.
What I had previously considered an empty space has become a glorious opportunity.
How very lucky I am.
posted by E-Luv at 3:18 PM
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