the first day of school

Next week, my daughter, my oldest, starts college.  She is staying at home so I do not have that separation trauma that so many of my friends are experiencing. On her very first day of kindergarten, we went to McDonalds for breakfast. In those early days, we'd buy a couple of the hot cakes breakfasts and share them. Now, with 15-year-old boys, the big breakfasts fill the bill.  One of the twins wanted to go on my first day of school and his sister's first day of college as well.  The intention of that first trip was to take away some of that first day of school anxiety, what it became was a tradition.

Two other family traditions we have center on cookies and holidays. One of our favorites centers on our faith; we make resurrection cookies on the eve of Easter. It tells the story of Christ and when we open the oven on Easter morning, there are empty cookies to represent the empty tomb.  We have even had friend's children share this special treat with us. The other tradition is baking Christmas cookies. Then we pack some up and deliver them to the local fire stations (two) and the local police station. It is our way of thanking them for watching over us for the last year.

Traditions string together the story of a family. What ever direction we head off to today, it is our common thread. Some go on for generations. I'm not sure if those that we created will survive the test of time. There is no doubt that the lessons, the special moments of bonding, the laughter, those live on in the hearts of those that share. They help to define us. And that is the blessing of tradition.