Tradition! Growing up in a theatrical family that reveled in pretending to be a variety of characters, Halloween was a big deal. My brothers and I would start planning our costumes in August at the latest. I think it also has something to do with our first Halloween costume. My grandmother was a talented seamstress and she made a pumpkin costume sized for a toddler. It was our first Halloween costume for each of us. With our chubby toddler cheeks and short legs, I can confidently say it’s probably the cutest we’ve ever been. It was a wonderful tradition that we as a family still discuss today.
When my grandmother passed away a few years ago, I talked about the pumpkin costume in her eulogy. Just before her death, we sent the costume down to my baby cousins in Texas. They were just big enough to start wearing it and continue the tradition. The loving hands that picked the fabric, cut it out, and sewed it together passed on much more than just a Halloween costume. She gave us her time and a unique memory to treasure her by. I was happy to pass the tradition along to my cousins and even more thrilled to find that they wanted to try it on as soon as they got it months before October.
As we approach Día de Muertos, I find I have been thinking of my grandparents who have passed. On my drive home from work I follow in the tradition of my grandfather and take “long cuts” home instead of short cuts. These “long cuts” may cover more ground, but help me avoid main streets at their busiest times. After stubbing my toe, I think of the magic words my other grandfather, a podiatrist, would say whenever we hurt our feet. After all, he was the foot expert!
Traditions like these, big or small, keep us connected to our loved ones and our beloved memories. We have started a new tradition here at UU Schenectady – Saturday evening Vespers services. In these short soulful sundown services, we sing and do rituals to bring us closer together as a community.
I did not grow going to Vespers services, but I did grow up attending church more than just Sunday morning whether it was for a potluck dinner, a concert, or some other event. I would walk in on a Friday evening and see some familiar faces of my church friends and was genuinely surprised when some of them were not there. During these times outside of the religious education classroom, I bonded with my peers as we played and ran around the sanctuary together. Sound familiar?
These are the moments I remember and cherish most of all. As we grew up, my friends and I continued the tradition of spending time together other than Sunday morning. We went from swinging on the play set as our parents were inside setting up for an event to gathering together as a youth group to pack meals for people who are homeless. Because my friend and I went to church other than Sunday morning as kids, it was easy for us to continue to stay involved as we got older. Being involved with all of the activities of our church community was important to us. When looking at colleges, we always discussed if there was a UU congregation nearby.
The traditions we learn as children and continue throughout our lives become a crucial part of our identity, whether it’s a pumpkin costume that develops into a love for Halloween or having fun at church on a Saturday night that develops as part of your Unitarian Universalist identity.