Tradition

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Not because I’m such a big patriot (although I certainly appreciate the benefits of being an American), but because it’s a chance for me to participate in some long-standing family traditions and catch up with family members – many of whom I don’t see the rest of the year.

I am blessed to come from a large extended family. With over 25 first cousins, almost all of whom have children (and grandchildren) of their own, family get-togethers can quickly become overwhelming. But every year around the 4th of July, we have a family reunion at the lake where my grandfather bought land and built a cabin over 60 years ago. The 4th of July reunion began 40 years ago and has continued with only a few alterations, to this day.  The day starts with games – musical chairs, cherry spitting, watermelon eating. Prizes are awarded for winners (this year the prizes were strings of brightly colored beads which I saw on kids the rest of the week!). A potluck dinner follows, which always includes the same standards: roast beef, twice baked cheesy potatoes, green salad, and fruit salad with cookies and brownies for dessert. The day of the celebrations, the kitchen in every house is busy chopping, sautéing, baking, mixing to prepare their portion of the meal.

Finally, there is the talent show. It’s usually about an hour long, not because we have so much talent in the family; but rather, because we “think” we have so much talent! There are toddlers shaking rattles, young boys swinging swords along to music, singing (usually the truly talented), playing of musical instruments, and even some tumbling and gymnastics. We’ve had magic shows, made up songs, and skits. It’s a lot of fun and one of the best parts of the day. My favorite act this year was a 2 ½ year old boy singing “This Land is Your Land” and strumming a full size guitar along to the beat.

The best part of the tradition, for me, is the comfort that comes with knowing exactly what to expect – the same games, same meal, even same songs at the talent show. Yet each year I also delight in the new things, like seeing my niece play musical chairs and almost win. Or having my son in the talent show for the first time ever. And throughout the entire weekend, I get the opportunity for conversations with some of the most amazing and interesting people I know. One of my cousins told me about work she’s involved in to bring basic medical care to remote villages throughout Africa. Another one spoke about her decision to maintain a gluten-free diet and how it’s positively impacting her health. With yet another relative, I talked about the state of the economy and the world of marketing agencies.

Coming back from this trip each year, I feel relaxed, refreshed, and ready to tackle my work and get back to the real world with a new perspective. I can’t wait for next year.