Tradition and transition. Can they co-exist?

I was thinking about the purpose of tradition as it is placed in the context of its antithesis: transition.

In our family, Thanksgiving is the most tradition-laden holiday on the calendar. The menu is traditionally American – roast turkey, potatoes and gravy, pecan stuffing, fresh cranberries, homemade pumpkin bread and pecan and pumpkin pies at the end.

Tradition extends beyond the kitchen, too, where outside the “turkey bowl” touch football game will once again test the limits of family bonds. Cousins and uncles will choose sides, lining up with a metro team that will try to outwit their out-state rivals who historically enjoy an advantage in height and weight. Age notwithstanding, all of our Thanksgiving day athletes will stretch and strain – muscles and possibly goodwill – for the privilege of hoisting the "turkey bowl" trophy, a repurposed moonshine crock.

As much as we love our traditions, though, we have to welcome a guest called change. This year, our holiday will have fewer familiar faces: the nephew in Texas, the nephew in New York, our pal spending the day with his Mom in Wisconsin, our dear Jason plowing snow in Michigan, our beloved Lynn who we lost just last December, not to mention all those dear ones who left us years earlier.

But rather than focusing on those who couldn’t make the journey to our home this year, we’ll embrace those who do and welcome a new friend, Lawrence, into our traditions. Yes even the silly one conducted out back.

And so, change brings to our door the opportunity to enrich tradition, to bring to it the influences of our newest guest, a new addition to our Thanksgiving family. And this is what change does best – it keeps us looking forward, to what may be, instead of looking backward to what once was. This is good for all of us; no matter how much we loved the desserts, the victories, and the conversations of old.

A blessed Thanksgiving is my wish for all, near and far.