‘Tis the season of hayrides and pumpkin pies, costumes and candy corn, drifting leaves that turn into falling snow and crisp mornings with flannel sheets and chunky sweaters that lend way to days full of tradition. What does the word tradition make you think of? What does it make you feel? Is there a tradition you partake in every year, or one from your childhood that stands out?
Take the word TRADITION and tell us what it means to you.
Go where your words and recollections take you. A few lines, or dozens, in whatever form moves you, write as your heart responds to the prompt.
Starting today {and below!} we will feature our own writers. After that we would love to feature you {yes, YOU!} and your piece here on the Bigger Picture Blog. We would love to encourage and support our community in this writing exercise, and we hope you all will join us!
There are two ways to get involved:
1. You can write your own Tradition piece, grab our Writing Me button {above} and post onto your blog any time. Link up here to join in our community.
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2. Be one of our guest writers and have your post featured on our blog! Complete this form and we will email you with a feature date and information for submissions.
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Today’s post comes to us from Brook…
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How many years does it take to build a tradition?
I always thought a tradition needed to be started from ancient ancestors, and because of that reason I didn’t think my family stood a chance.
Growing up we didn’t have many lasting traditions, sure we went to the grandparents every Christmas and Thanksgiving, and we ate the recommended dose of turkey and sweet potatoes. However, as I got older, work and school made it harder and harder to keep up the tradition. And over the years, as grandparents and parents passed away, the traditions passed along with them.
So, when I said “I do” I not only vowed to love and cherish my husband, but to also create one tradition. Something we could count on come heck or high water. A tradition that stayed in place no matter where we all were, or how old we became, it would still remain.
Little did I know that traditions can’t be concocted like a recipe in a cookbook. The ‘ol “just do it, you’ll like it” phrase was said one too many times and my plans failed miserably. I thought a Halloween party would be fun {ended up being too much work, and the hubs isn’t into matching costumes}, a kitchy family photo sounded like fun {but we all know how that turns out} and Fourth of July celebrations made E scream in fear.
I learned the hard way that traditions are organic and they can’t be manufactured. They come from spontaneous life events that are so freaking awesome you just want to do them over and over and over again without the “just do it you’ll like it” bargaining.
It was then that I realized we’ve already created one tradition, it started on our wedding day, and has never changed.
Our love…for the Hawkeyes.
Yeah, it all started with a kiss to the Iowa Fight Song and it has been going strong ever since.
Every Saturday for the past ten years our family has bled black and gold. We tailgate, we watch the game and we cheer as loud as we can, because we are Hawkeye fans.
When it comes to traditions, I always anticipated something a tad less sports oriented. Especially since no one in my family watched football, I wasn’t even a Hawk fan until I started attending the U of I and even then I only went the games to socialize and look cute in black and gold.
It wasn’t until I was married that the Hawkeye tradition grew and blossomed. Now our children have been brain-washed by the Iowa Fight Song, and One of the first words both boys’ said was Hawkeyes.
It’s in our blood now, this tradition of football and sportsmanship. Of cheering a team whether they are good or bad, because for us it’s more than just a ball and a field. It’s family time, fun time and a tradition to hand down from generation to generation.
I’m even saving some Hawkeye onesies for those future grandchildren.
GO HAWKS!!!
The word is “Fight! Fight! Fight!
for IOWA, Let every loyal Iowan sing;
The word is “Fight! Fight! Fight! for IOWA,” Until the walls and rafters ring (Go Hawks!)
Come on and cheer, cheer, cheer, for IOWA Come on and cheer until you hear the final gun.
The word is “Fight! Fight! Fight! for IOWA,” Until the game is won.
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