Easter Monday

Traditions

“Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure, it is in decay.”

                                              Jiddu Krishnamurti

It's Easter Monday. The egg dying, chocolate bunny gobbling, ham cooking, frilly dress and heels holiday is over. What a whirlwind—I've been moving so fast I feel like I'm dragging a debris trail behind me. Thank God its Monday and I can get back to boring. I wonder how many of you feel that way after a holiday. I did enjoy four days of family and friends, but I will also enjoy some solitude.

Traditions are intended to ground us in our tribe. Every Easter for our whole lives, our great southern custom is to do things exactly the way they were done “when Mama was alive.” Traditions become rituals of remembrance—Aunt Sally's fried corn, Mama's chess pie, etc. There is comfort in that, like a thread running all the way back to our grandparents and beyond, tying us securely to the family apron strings. Some of us are so wedded to our traditions that we suffer when we are not able to enact them to the letter. It's like somebody died if the kids want to go to the beach instead of eat ham and potato salad at the family repast. Those apron strings can become a noose around our necks if we aren't careful.

Holiday traditions are not all bad. At least we know who we are and what's expected. But being in lock-step with the past can be as mind-numbing as watching replays of Ground Hog Day. Sometimes it's great to break the mold and do something entirely new, something that requires a little creativity and ingenuity. Why not grill lamb-kabobs next year—or perhaps eggplant Parmesan is more to your liking. Or, you could go absolutely wild and make a pasta salad! Mama would roll over in her grave!

Happy Monday, y'all. At least you won't have to cook for three or four days. That ham is good in bean soup...and broccoli casserole...and...

                                         In the spirit,

                                            Jane