Honouring joyful tradition

What are traditions? They are things we do, which we have enjoyed and taken into our hearts…most of the time.

There is another side to traditions though, they can be things we do, because they have always been done, which are done for no other reason but that. They can be things we try to do as a tradition to the best of our ability but don’t click.

Tradition, something which should be nourishing for the soul can sometimes be a source of stress and frustration.

I wanted to post a little about tradition today, and about feelings and expectations of them - the weight we sometimes burden ourselves with - because it’s tradition.

Coming into Waldorf with older children, I have so wanted to weave and bring many of its traditions into our home. But it’s not been easy, some have come more natural than others, some have not taken root.

Yesterday as we sang to the little one for her birthday she hated it, turning her back on us, but then I thought about that tradition, a tradition which some love, and some hate, and I thought about traditions and the place they have in our home. This birthday for all my waldorfy efforts was minus a crown as she didn’t want one and minus a traditional home baked cake because she wanted a rainbow surprise sprinkle cake, which in my current frazzled back to normality state was beyond my baking capabilities. She didn’t want the rainbow bridge story she wanted a puppet show with her beloved Peter rabbit and why not, it’s HER birthday not mine. As she grows she may take on other traditions I suggest, but ultimately traditions should be adaptable and should be able to evolve.

Lets talk more about traditions that work for us, and break free from the burden of them. Traditions should bring us joy and rhythm, they should deepen and enrich our experience of something. Not cause undue stress or anxiety when we can’t get it right.

Start a tradition today, and let go of the expectations of them. If it does not bring joy, rhythm and deepen ones time in whatever it’s for let it go.