Adapting Traditions in Holidays and Politics
Over the years, our family has done Christmas so many different ways. When they were little, our kids woke up to piles of gifts left by Santa, we’ve had simple Christmases focused on being together, and as my kids got older they opted to travel for Christmas over gifts. Christmas success has been determined by what was best for our family based on the ages and stages of our kids. A big tree and Santa were important factors when they were little, and became less important as they got older. As we saw their needs change, we adapted our Christmas celebrations to meet those needs.
As I wrote this I realized our family doesn't have a single holiday tradition we MUST do. There are things we like to do. But nothing is so important that we can't challenge if that action, activity, story, song, or interaction is still benefiting those involved.
Our communities require the same attention to adaptation. Tradition is powerful, but not always a marker of success, especially if we continue doing things a certain way ONLY because that’s what we’ve always done. This is especially true in politics, where the role of tradition can stunt growth rather than foster it. If changing political methods empowers citizens, preserves civil rights and increases participation, we must prioritize adaptation over tradition. It’s a necessity for a better community.
Let's have those conversations.
If you missed it, last week on the Bee we talked about:
How labels and group identity can stifle important conversation.
Advice on how to handle the holidays when you are not feeling festive.
Our continuing conversation on child brides in Utah is promoting varied conversations. There were some in pioneer days who were so repelled by the concept that they escaped. A women shares her story of being an 18-year-old bride: technically an adult but emotionally still a child. And we explore the nuances of fundamentalists in Utah in relation to child brides.