Tradition!
Some have traditions, others wish they had traditions, in the production Fiddler on the Roof, tradition has been put to song. The act of tradition warms the heart and brings family close. Tradition sparks emotion, yes, those very emotions that we store in our bodies that either boost us energetically or cause us to move into a state of dis-ease. This tradition cultivates positive emotions for me and feels wonderful!
A favorite tradition of mine…
Zion National Park
As family passes on and the last few members of a generation are left, some traditions become more cherished. Now this little family tradition of ours may seem silly to some, but it was started by a beloved aunt and uncle who live near Zion’s National Park. We all sit on a certain bench, and cross our legs in the same manner. In the home of our aunt and uncle, there is a wall full of pictures of family sitting in this pose!
Cousins!!!!
Huntington Beach
Since there are rare times when family can visit us, we decided to extend this tradition when family can come! Our cousin had the same thought as we did that we should take this picture… I only wish we would have thought of this sooner when we have had other family members visit! When family visited this weekend, we took some similar pictures. We haven’t established the perfect bench or sitting area, but figure we will do it in all areas at the beach.
Huntington Beach
So this blog post is to establish that we are carrying on this simply but meaningful tradition. You see, traditions don’t need to be complex to be wonderful. They can be fun and silly, too! Of course, living with a photographer, one picture will never do! I’m just wondering which wall I should dedicate to my pictures of family with crossed legs at the beach!
You just never know
what silly things families will do that become cherished activities… that foster emotions that well up inside of us of the love we have for our families. I’m so grateful for the family that I love dearly!
It is nice to see those pics. Lovely family and you are so lucky! It is always good to have time to cherish best family occasions. Our family is the best gift that we can have. Old traditions and customs, they are worth to be learn by our young generations today.
I have never thought about doing anything like that, it’s so neat and it is creative. I love it. Thank you for the inspiration!!!!
Wish I could take credit 🙂 it was my aunt and uncle’s idea. I got a FB post with one they did in Bryce Canyon yesterday!
Wonderful tradition and such a good idea too!
Thanks 🙂
this is a very good start guys…Lets Keep it Up!@!!
Thanks
NACS Infosystems
What cute pictures! Very familiar scenery in Huntington Beach:)Tradition is so very important:) Our tradition is Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach..it is coming up in a few weeks;)
I have a dear friend who performs in Pageant of the Masters! Her first night was last week! That’s a fabulous cultural experience! Thank you so much for supporting the arts!
That’s a very special and fun tradition! I actually don’t really like traditions. I’m a bit of a rebel that way :). However, I understand and appreciate the meaning for others. I’m glad that you have these memories and pics!
I know, Leanne! I used to be annoyed by traditions when I was younger… I wanted my own traditions. Plus, some traditions create too much stress for my liking. This one is easy for me 🙂
Traditions can be good or bad.
The tradition of circumcision needs to go away.
I totally agree with you!
I think your tradition is absolutely awesome. It may seem simple but it’s the little things that bring about lasting memories! Awesome
absolutely!!! Thanks Shanique!
We have a tradition of taking my son, daughter-in-law, and the grandkids to breakfast on their birthday. It’s something that our grandkids look forward to and it makes them feel special.
We like that tradition, too… except for us it’s dinner… of course it’s kind of hard now that my son and family live in Indiana. That is a great tradition!
Thanks for this delightful post Loretta. Fiddler was the last movie my mother saw before she passed. I am so grateful and blessed that I took her to see a movie that meant so much to her. Tradition!! They keep us together!!
thank you Meli! I’m sorry your mother passed… but know that she is always with you.
I love those shots and your tradition 🙂 Thanks for sharing. from VA for Life
Thank you Diana!!
What a great tradition..
Traditions are so important, large or small. In a world full of uncertainty and change, they ground us and remind us of the things that are important. Thank you for the crucial reminder!
Indeed! Thank you Andy 🙂
Its funny to see how each family has their own traditions even if they don’t realize it. Humans are a creature of habit and we will always repeat what we were taught growing up.
You hit the nail on the head, Christy! Traditions become so even when we don’t realize it! So it’s so important to insure they are positive!!!
Love your traditions of photographing all members with legs crossed. I also loved the way you weaved your words of tradition to your work. Well done!
Thank you so much Mary!
I LOVE this!! My cousins used to do this all the time as children (now they live in different parts of the country). I’ll see if I can share this with them!! Thanks for the fond memories of Fiddler on the Roof, a song which I will now be singing all day!!
Fun! It is sad when people have to move away 🙁
That is very cool!! Our tradition for the 4th of July is to have a open type BBQ.. where friends and family come over, we BBQ and the festivities begin, and last until the fireworks are complete…
That’s a wonderful tradition! When I was a child, that was our family tradition, too. I loved it!
Very cool!
I love unique traditions like that. It really is a great way to bring family together and make beautiful memories and stories for generations. Looks like a great time!
Yes, and those stories need to be recorded!
Loretta, I LOVE this post! I think Family Traditions are so fun and so important. As you said…when fewer of the older generation are with us, the more important these traditions become. The sillier the better! 🙂
Indeed, thank you Deanna 🙂
Love it! Can’t wait to finally jump back in my family’s little traditions. Haven’t been back home in five years.
Sounds like a visit is due!
When we lived in Southern California, we were able to go to Disneyland at least once a year. Fortunately, we purchased the Splash Mountain picture (you know, the one they take just as the log starts to plunge down the falls!) the very first time we went. We have 10 years of Splash Mountain pictures and I call them our family portraits, since that was about the only time we were all together! Our tradition, after the first couple of years, was to “pose” — one year, we all had T-shirts with the American flag and are saluting all the way down!
Thanks for sharing and for evoking memories of our own traditions.
That is SO FUN!!! Thank you Brenda for sharing this with us!!!
I am a family photograph buff. I love them. Now with the arrival of smartphones, my young grandchildren can hardly escape a Kodak moment when they learn something new or do something great! Thanks for reminding us how integral family traditions are. The world has become such a fast place, we need to slow down and enjoy our families so much more than we allow ourselves.
So true Cheryl… we look, and one day their turn here on earth has passed. Oh how precious those photographs become!
What fun! The neat thing about the kind of traditions you capture in photographs is that they show a side of the family others might not realize is there — and are pretty easy to make happen.
This gives me a heap of great ideas. Thanks so much!
My pleasure, Nancy! thanks for your comment!
That’s how traditions start, as small and meaningful acts shared by a family! I love you picture tradition; it’s a unique way to unite family members over time and space.
I agree Gwynne! thank you!
This is SO funny — I just saw a production of Fiddler on the Roof last night, and then happened on your blog post. It must be meant to be 🙂
I love the leg-crossing tradition — and how fun to look at all the pictures! It’s a great reminder that traditions can exist for their own sake and don’t have to be complicated. It’s just something that you share.
My husband of 6 years and I have a tradition on New Years’ Eve that started by accident. We discovered an Irish pub near us celebrates New Year’s at 4 PM (which is midnight in Ireland). They play traditional music, give out noisemakers and silly hats and it’s a lot of fun. When we stumbled on it on NYE 2007, we ended up staying there for hours, writing all our favorite memories and accomplishments of the year on a paper placemat as we drank beer and ate corned beef tacos. This has now become our yearly tradition…and best of all we are happily snoring in bed well before midnight in California!
Lisa
Too many unfinished passion projects? FREE ebook “How to Accomplish Anything in an Hour a Day” http://gifts.davincidilemma.com/houraday
Thank you Lisa!