Revisiting Tradition

This past weekend the females on one side of my family revisited tradition and paid homage to our matriarch. For the fifth year in a row, we held our annual tea party to help my granny celebrate her birthday. Now this is not your average event. Each year we bake or make traditional tea party foods such as fruit salads, scones with homemade jams, sandwiches with the crusts cut off, mini muffins, and many other scrumptious treats. For this event the family heirloom tea cups and other china are brought out and given back life. The silver tea pot gets polished and the creamer and sugar containers are used. The posh hats, old fashioned jewelry, and other past fashionable items are used for decor either around the room or on our persons. And generally it just gives us time to be silly and we as adults get to play dress up.

Each year our food is slightly different, our tea selections change, and our outfits differ, but the thing that remains the same and the thing that is most important is that of our intention: to spend time together and to demonstrate to our mother/grandmother that we love and respect her and the life that she has lived. Some years we are in our finest garb and on our finest behavior and other years we are just dressed nicely and act appropriately. Some moments we are silly and other moments we are serious. But the thing that remains the same is the time and love that is present in the room for the few hours that we are together. During this time we visit, support, and laugh with each other. We share old stories and talk about the future. We discuss those we miss who are not present with us for the day, and we welcome those who are new to our "family." We can't ALL make it every year, but every year those who are not there are still present in our thoughts and hearts.

Sometimes I like to imagine what "true" tea parties used to be like and while our attire and behavior may not exactly match, I believe what is on our hearts, minds, and behind our conversations remains the same. I truly enjoy these moments of family togetherness, of fun and silliness through dressing up, of honest conversation, of revering the presence and life of my grandmother. And it makes me feel honored and proud that we have created our own tradition through the renewal of a past tradition. We are using elements of the past to embark on the celebration of the present and of the future. And in being together, we are letting my grandmother know that we are thankful for who she was yesterday, is today, and will be for all of tomorrow. When it comes to cherished times and memories, these will be some of my favorites-no matter how sepia colored and wrinkled the memories may become throughout the span of my lifetime.