Lately I came across quite a few festivities that I had no clue what they were about and when I asked what they were, why they were the way as they were, I got the answer, it is tradition.

The meaning of the word tradition by the Cambridge dictionary is: ‘a belief, principle, or way of acting that people in a particular society or group have continued to follow for a long time, or all of these beliefs, etc. in a particular society or group’.

To keep a tradition, I believe is great, as long as we know where it originates from, what is the meaning of it, why it is structured as it is and whether it has a positive impact on people.
When we don’t, then it is time to revisit it, if we really want to keep it and if so, in what form.

Also, I believe, there are traditions that are simply outdated.
Like, I just experienced a festivity that includes the use of fire.
Asked a few locals, why the fire, they had no idea, just that it is tradition.
Now, I believe that some hundreds of years ago when this celebration started, people were marching with torches, or they might have had a bonfire or something.
Maybe for no other reason than just to have some light in the night.

Nowadays they are playing music while marching and dancing through the narrow streets of the town, what is joined and watched by kids and adults alike.
And they are using some crazy pyrotechnic devices that are like giant, spinning sparklers.

The store owners a bit earlier today had covered the windows with protective layers, the apartment owners are closing the windows and doors to make sure that there will not be any fire damage.
Among the people are marching firefighters with fire extinguishers in hand and paramedics with their first aid bags in case something goes wrong.
Many people’s clothes get small burnt holes from the flying flames, and I heard that every year there are several people ending up in hospital because of serious injuries due to the fire plays.

Is it something special to watch? Yes.
Is it safe? Not at all.
Is it clean? The absolute opposite.
But the show must go on, as it is tradition.

And you know what?
I feel very similar about a lot of things in today’s world.
Like they are outdated but society keeps them around because it is the traditional way, because it has been so for ages.

Like gender roles.
Like only a man and a woman are a couple.
Like a woman’s job is to give birth.
Like the man is the head of the household.
Like go to school, get a job, do as you are told, don’t ask questions, play nice, retire.
Like have a family, fit in, be a good neighbour.
And so on.

Luckily, there are more and more people in more and more areas who are breaking the pattern, are opening their mouths and speaking up, are bravely leading the changes.
And this is the key!
The world changes!

We know more, we know else, than people of the Roman Empire or of the Middle Ages or even of the last century.
We have different resources, different life span, different health care options, different living conditions.

Also by now many understands that although we are all human beings, we are all different, though we have many similarities.

For fact, every single person is performing best in every aspect of their life, when they operate from their authentic self.
When one can be who one wants to be. Gender does not defines talent, amount of knowledge, creativity, or value.
When one can love whom they want to, can enjoy sex with whom they want to. One’s choice that might be different than the next person’s, is none of anybody else’s business but the one’s.
When one can have or not have a family by their own preference. Nobody is to have any say in this, only the person, couple in question.

So regardless if it is a celebration or a societal expectation, traditions can be an important part of life as long as they serve the people, as long as they are safe, human and are still carrying value.
When it is not the case, then traditions, traditional thinking needs to be looked at and decided whether partially need to be rethought, or maybe even fully just let go of.

From the past we must learn but must not drag it along for the disadvantage of the present.