We all have vivid memories where a specific moment in time pleased us greatly and they stick with us. There is an inherent value to these memories and in our lifetime we come to center our thoughts and actions to experience another moment like that again. Not to recreate the precise memory per se, but to simply return to the moment that brought us that sensation.

This pursuit of memories is what leads us into traditions. With valuable memories of our family holiday celebrations, we toil to bring back the value year after year for ourselves and the next generation. We are centered to keep a memorable value going forward.

Some memories and subsequent traditions formed are great for our continuous learning practice, others may not be. Be mindful to know the difference. Continue learning from your shared knowledge to sustain a tradition as it will bring value for yourself with others. Some will fade away and be replaced by others, there is a reason that fruit cake sales have diminished over time, they weren’t that great or memorable in the first place.

“Tradition: how the vitality of the past enriches the life of the present.” — T.S. Eliot —

MITM