Every Christmas, my Aunt made a Gumdrop Cake. It was TRADITION. I don't remember many people eating it. Let's face it: Gumdrop cake is pretty gross! However, it does look lovely on a holiday table and there was one at her house every year. It took forever to cut the gumdrops into tiny pieces, the scissors becoming so sticky they could hardly open and close.
There are traditions that drain us. We do them based on either what other people expect of us or out of guilt of what we think we "should" do, based on what "they" say. The world dictates lists of what "needs" to be accomplished, groups we "should" join in order to be considered a valid member of a community; what a "good" job is.
The pandemic should have taught us that none of this matters because we don't know what challenges we may face down the road. Think about it: there were NO gumdrops available for awhile...no flour either! We couldn't be with our families, couldn't touch our loved ones. Nothing was in our control.
I'm asking you to look at the things in your life that are demanded of you and decide what gets to stay. The things you love to do, the moments you treasure are what you keep. Nothing else matters. We should be choosing the best in our lives, letting those who love us know that some NEW traditions may be taking the place of old ones.
Perhaps a walk with loved ones, without paying attention to time passing or lists of chores to be done. Just walking until you want to head home again. Maybe talking, maybe not. Just being together because you CAN!!!
Maybe as you walk, take the time to go over the list of things you are grateful for in the quiet of your mind. The first one should be that you are thankful to be walking with your loved ones again, just one foot in front of the other, perhaps leading to nowhere in particular, but at least you are together.
Friends, we get ONE life. How much of it do we want to give up making Gumdrop Cake?
Thank you for spending this time with me,
Lori xx