Changes

I like to think that I am one that embraces change.  I suppose I usually handle changes farely well.  Afterall that is how life works, it constantly changes and nothing ever stays the same.  I like that we move and change where we call "home" quite regularly.  I like watching my children grow and change with the seasons. And I like to change my furniture arrangements in my house much to my husband's disliking!

 But there are some changes I don't handle well or like at all.  Some of which are family traditions and dynamics.  Both of which are currently taking place within my family now.  There are family traditions that have literally happened every single year since I was born and even before.  Many of them still take place and have become such huge events over the years.  Others though, have started to lose their luster and are being either removed or changed.

 As the family grows and new members are added I suppose the dynamics of the family shift and ultimately affect the timely traditions we have had.  For example, we have always had Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations at my grandmother's house.  Everyone knows their role and what they are contributing.  This is all I have ever known Christmas to be.  However, just recently, my grandmother annouced that she was "tired" and was ready to pass the wand off to someone else to hold these rather large get togethers at their house.  She also just got remarried after my grandfather passed away.  It has been 6 years since he passed so it isn't like she remarried quickly or anything of the sort.  She is still relatively young and I won't deny her what makes her happy.  It is just that when my grandfather passed that is when things began to change.  He was sort of like the glue that held the family together and kept us strong.  Now that he is gone, the dynamics are shifting.

So many of the traditions that we have revolved around him or remind her of him so she now wants to do away with them or change them so much so as to not be a reminder of her "previous life".  These are the changes I don't like.  There have been many births of grandchildren and great grandchilden and new spouses added to the mix over the years and they have all just fallen into the traditions and family events with ease.  I can't help but feel that it is her new marriage that has lead her to this passing of the wand.  I get that my parents are now grandparents and we should start having Christmas for our children at their grandparent's house so it is a natural progression of sorts.  But after 30 years, I am finding this change to be a bit more difficult to handle and doing so with some resistance.  But as with life, I will ebb and flow with the tides and do my best to enbrace this change as well.  Change IS what makes life interesting afterall.