This month's Unschooling Carnival is on the topic of Celebrating Life's Events. I've really wanted to come up with something for this one, if only because I feel like I'm neglecting my writing, which feels somewhat like neglecting my soul.
In the Carnival announcement, the following questions were suggested as prompts:
How has celebrating changed in your house?
How do you celebrate, and why?
How do I make Christmas (insert holiday) special without the deprivation before hand?
What about relatives?
Celebrating Birth days and other anniversaries
Adding or stopping certain holidays
Feeling abundant in a daily celebration of life
How do YOU celebrate?
I'd been hoping for an *easy* blog carnival -- you know, one where I could dash off a quick post full of sparkling stories and flowing words. Okay, so this isn't the easy, free-flowing topic I'd have ordered, but it just amazing how life weaves together just the right responses and questions for me. I won't be answering all those questions, but the overall idea of celebration caught my attention.
I've been exploring the idea of rituals and traditions myself lately. Not so much in an unschooling context, but in a personal context. And just as I'm wondering how to answer those yearnings of my soul for more recognition and celebration of the wonders and joys in my life, Andy comes to me with the same yearning. Now I find myself learning about Winter Solstice traditions which, I'm sure, will lead us to explore other rituals and traditions in that same swirly way all our conversations around here lead into each other. We discussed why we've continued to observe some Christmas rituals, even tho I walked away from Christianity 8+ years ago, after a heartfelt practice of 17 years as a true believer. Andy has never considered himself to be a Christian, and leans much more towards Buddhist concepts.
We, as a family, don't embrace or practice any one religion. Even when I had a religious practice, it wasn't one that had any overt rituals -- many discreet, personal ones, but not really any big celebrations. At first, it was enough just to separate ourselves from the trappings of that religion. In the years since, tho, I've wondered if we're all missing something, by not keeping to many -- if any -- of the cultural traditions we both grew up with. We've never made a big fuss about Santa or the Easter Bunny, or even the Tooth Fairy. I'm sure my mom-in-law thinks I'm somewhat remiss in those areas.
As I've thought about it more recently, I realize we do have rituals and touchstones. They are rituals of our own making, observances small and large that speak to who we are.
There are the daily rituals --
Each night as we go to bed, Andy, Gary and I repeat the same script in response to each other. It's one that evolved a couple of years ago, at a time when Andy needed some comforting routines. I find that it's as comforting to us as it is to Andy. And someday when he's outgrown it and left home, it will be one of the sweetest memories we have.
Until recently, Gary read Garfield comics one or both boys at bedtime. Only now that they often stay up later than the old folks has that become rare. Still on occasion, as we head into winter with more indoors time, Dan has requested evening reading time with Dad.
I have my morning cup of tea, and my nightly time updating the boys' journal and my own.
Gary and I have always shared a kiss as he leaves for work, and again once we're home for the evening. Our day just doesn't seem complete without those kisses.
We have birthday parties for the boys, of course, and Gary and I always remember our anniversaries.
I'm pleased that this season brought this topic to my thought, and I look forward to exploring more traditions and celebrations, and to trying new ones both privately and as a family. I don't know if or which other celebrations or rituals we'll add in years to come. I'm sure that, as with the ones we have today, they'll be celebrations of the moments, small and large, that are most precious to us rather than simply because it's what we're supposed to do.
