The joys of living life to the fullest are the opportunity to renew and celebrate our traditions. Holiday preparations and events serve to bring family and friends together while strengthening the bonds between them.
Thanksgiving serves as an important kick-off to many of the traditions important in our lives. We each have those that are unique and very personal, but throughout your life, they conjure special memories and warm thoughts of years gone by.
It’s the lasting memory that builds those unique layers of the tradition that further enriches the shared memory.
Unfortunately, as time marches on, so do some of the traditions that stood firm throughout the years. Traditions change as a result of many factors. The passing of time, places and people can affect those events over the years.
In some cases, only then do we begin to appreciate the value of those traditions and the effort put forth by those who made them special to you.
The most important lesson in any tradition is the ability to share them with others, inviting them into the unique experience that was once new to you.
While the tradition may evolve over time, the ability to pass along, not only the importance of the tradition, but the manner in which those individuals valued and shared the tradition.
It’s those stories, passed down and shared, that make these events so very personal.
As the years pass, we realize what we were given, what was shared with us, represents a lasting gift of love and joy. The only thing that makes that feeling even more prized is when you can pass along the same joy to the next generation.
It seems more difficult these days to “get in the festive mood.” When we reflect on the world we live in with all the frustration and disagreements we see bubbling on the surface, it’s too easy to join the fray instead of setting a more joyful mood in keeping with the season.
Joy and love are out there, and it’s up to each of us to find it in our lives and share it with those around us, especially those who really need to lighten up a little bit and see what they are missing.
We all need this seasonal celebration to brighten our lives and strengthen the relationships we share with others in our world.
