Traditions --- Do We Live Them?

I have reached an age where most people get more settled in their ways. And it has taken me a lot of settling time over the years. I was always known as the guy who couldn’t sit still, who always had a “couple of irons in the fire”, and I guess there are still a  few irons in the heat. But that’s one thing. An entire different thing is what I call thoughts of future and tradition. Did I ever had those thoughts when I was – say 40yrs? I had not. Now it has occurred to me that I have spent a lot of my daily routines on inherited traditions – without ever been aware of it. My parents – who these traditions are originating from, had a set of living that I unconsciously have taken to my heart. There is f.ex. the daily afternoon craving of having a cup of coffee, preferably with something sweet. I am just feeling not entirely happy if by some or the other reason, this has to be cancelled. Or take my idea of eating a boiled egg. I derived it from my parents. They cut of the top of the egg with a knife, then took the spoon to peel the white of the egg out of it. They always used an egg glass for the egg. They sprinkled some salt on their plate and dipped the moist spoon with its back into the salt before they dug out another piece of the egg. Bea has been watching this procedure over the past 26 years with never-ending amazement. I just can’t imagine to eat a boiled breakfast egg any other way. After I get up in the morning I need a breakfast. The thought of hanging around all morning to have breakfast run into lunch hour is disgusting. I might hang out with a cup of coffee for 30 minutes but then I NEED to eat. Just as the old folks did. I was never a night bird. I go to bed when I feel tired and that is at a certain hour. If something or somebody forces me to stay up longer – not good. My parents always went to bed at the very same hour. I can’t imagine any Sunday without a special Sunday dinner. My inherited tradition is making me wish for that dinner. At Christmas it becomes even more apparent. Though I must say that all our travels to the south have modified my personal Christmas experience a lot. But you should have seen our first Christmas in the south. Our 5th-wheel was turned into an illuminated Christmas palace - the effort to make me forget that it was actually 70F outside at night with no snow around in the weather forecast. I have to grin when I think of all this. But I guess our traditions are providing us with a frame we can live within and feel safe. Maybe there is a bit of the truth when we hear about all crime and violence in our society, that the perpetrators often are people without roots and a safe home during their youth. Like also Bea I am feeling a lot of pleasure when looking at a blooming garden. I grab my camera and start taking pictures. Looking across the flowers moving in a slight breeze I feel the summers that I had when I was a boy. My grandparents maintained a stunning garden. It was very beautiful and I loved it dearly. Another tradition! Thanks for stopping by!