Maybe they're a sense of obligation for you? With your family or even your friends. And with the COVID pandemic traditions have changed but the essence and the importance of it has not.
Even before we were "forced" to change the way in which we gather, traditions bugged me. I didn't even celebrate my birthday to the point I didn't want any one of my friends to now the day! Crazy? Well, you've come to the right place and you're not alone.
I thought I knew what traditions were but I really had no clue as to their purpose and/or significance they play in our lives. A big shift in my understanding came in reading the book The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, who is, well, an expert on our gatherings. She brings fresh insight and a new way to look at any gathering we have in our lives - from the ancient to the recent (i.e. Zoom calls).
I also had a little help from the book The Cauldron of Ethnicity in the Modern World by Manning Nash, which is a book I reference in several prior episodes about Ethnicity. Luckily this coincidence coincided with this episode. Here are the links to the resources I discuss in the episode:
The Cauldron of Ethnicity in the Modern World by Manning Nash (The University of Chicago Press)
The Art of Gathering - How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
Podcast: Together Apart (The New York Times) 8 April 2020 - "How is this night different than all the other nights?"
I’m T. Vyas, you can call me T became most people do. I’m, as you’ve guessed, a person of colour who looks forward to chatting with you about some things identity, some things colour and ALL things Love! Tune in Tuesdays for a new episode! In the meantime, you can find me on Instagram @bareinmind.podcast
Website: bareinmindpodcast.com