Traditions

Traditions are an important part of everyone’s culture.  The holidays, for my family and me, are steeped in tradition. When it comes to food, there is always lefse, chocolate mint sandwich cookies, and eggnog.  Typically there are Swedish meatballs or ham balls and company hash browns.  We usually sing Christmas songs in four-part harmony at least once, light the advent wreath and exchange gifts on Christmas Eve.  In addition, there are favorite holiday movies to watch, Muppets Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Santa Clause (1, 2, &3) to name a few.  Christmas at home (and sometimes abroad) includes a worship service with either a lively pageant and/or a contemplative candlelight service. 

My family recently watched the Muppets Christmas Carol, and for the first time the wisdom of this story spoke to me.  Live in the past, present and future.  You know the story: the humbug Ebenezer Scrooge is met by three spirits each hoping to change his attitude and open his heart to the world around him.  In a matter of a few pages, or in our case less than two hours of sidesplitting muppet humor, Scrooge discovers that his past reminds him of true love and happiness as a young man and the choices he made to further his career.  He is blindsided by the image his community has of him and his selfish and greedy ways and he is faced with the prospect of leaving this earth unloved and unwanted by anyone.

As I experienced this movie this year, I was overcome with the notion that we must not solely live in one of these three worlds.  Our lives are meant to fulfill many purposes.  We might be a comforter for someone, an encourager for another, or a warrior for whatever it is that drives our deepest passions.  We also might need to take time to regroup, to realign what it is that we feel called to do.  By looking back into our past we can learn from mistakes and successes, cherish memories and notice what brings us joy and what causes pain. 

By living the in the present we are called to truly focus on the here and now.  What am I choosing today and how does it affect me, my family, friends and neighbors worldwide?  The choices I make have an impact on our whole world and I can choose to see it and act accordingly…or not. 

Living in the future is hard for me.  Although I am mostly an optimist, I am also a self-diagnosed “catastrophizor.”  I often play out scenarios in my head that, of course, end badly.  It was my mom that finally made me realize that “different” isn’t always “bad.”  And that, for me is where faith takes over.  I am coming to realize that when I catastrophize, I am basically saying I can’t do it, or more shockingly, god can’t do it.  It is true that the future is unpredictable.  You can think you are on a particular path and then suddenly, your gifts are being used in very different ways.  What you need in illuminating your path is the faith and wisdom to be present, learn from your past and not be afraid of your future – whatever it may be.