Traditions. Rites of passage. They keep us connected. They complete the circle of life. They sustain us in difficult times. And sometimes, they leave us covered in bacon grease in the middle of a graveyard.
Justin Palmer was one of my best friends growing up. And every summer, he would invite me stay with his family at their beach house down on the Delaware Shore. Typically, we would ride our bikes to the beach, buy comic books, and shoot hoops on the grass basketball court in his backyard. Nirvana for any eight-year old boy.
But one year, the family had something different in mind. We heard incredible stories of catching “snipes” in the empty field down from their house. The snipes were friendly birds that only came out at night. If you snapped your fingers on an open paper bag, and shrieked the word “Snipe!” in a high pitched voice at the top of your lungs, you were sure to catch at least a dozen!
Oh, and one more thing. If you dumped bacon grease over your head, the smell would wake the snipes from their slumber. Or so we were told.
There we were, covered in bacon grease, screaming in the dark near an old graveyard. It is a priceless memory.
A few summers later, I came to the (now) obvious conclusion that snipes did not actually exist (and I can only imagine how ridiculous we looked in the process!)
“Snipe hunting” is an age-old practical joke. And it struck me as a playful rite of passage to pay forward to my children some day.
Flash forward thirty years later. I took my own son, also named Justin, and a couple of his friends, to the same empty field in search of those wily birds. We were, of course, equally unsuccessful in our attempt to capture the snipes.
But the tradition was secured. A rite of passage was passed on. And a common bond and precious memory was formed.
And those traditions, no matter how small, can help all of us bond together and stay resilient as we face the trials and tribulations of every day life.
Traditions Build Unity
Traditions are more than just “fun”. Traditions infuse a sense of normalcy. Traditions connect us across generations. Strong traditions will never die.
Family movie night. Breakfast in bed for your birthday. Thanksgiving Turkey Bowls. Game night. Leprechaun shenanigans on St. Patrick’s Day. These traditions bring back nostalgic memories. These fill us with a sense of common unity. These give us something to talk about when our kids come back from college!
Traditions are the lifeblood of families.
Traditions Build a Winning Culture
And traditions hold a powerful place in our work lives as well. We work to sustain our families. We work to satisfy our own sense of purpose. But, in order to maintain morale, there must be a broader sense of community in the workplace.
Perhaps it is the scavenger hunt at the holiday party. Perhaps it is “Bring Your Child to Work Day” at the office. Perhaps it is a day out fishing on the boat. Whatever the ritual, these traditions help bring a team together. These simple bonding opportunities help create a winning culture.
These traditions should never be broken.
Traditions Smooth Out the Crises
And in difficult times we need these traditions more than ever. We need these traditions to fuel our resiliency!
When a family crisis strikes, upholding our traditions help bring us a sense of normalcy. Resentment. Financial pressure. Personality clashes. There are times when family life teeters on the brink of chaos.
Traditions offer hope and stability. Traditions offer consistency. Even as things are burning down around us, we can count of these traditions to buoy our spirits and offer perspective in difficult times.
And traditions at the office are equally important when things head south. Cost-cutting measures. A floundering stock price. Changes in ownership. Inflation and a dwindling supply of VC money. In stressful times, we need to cling to some sense of community beyond the actual work.
Traditions promote cohesiveness. Traditions help break down individual barriers. And traditions create a sense of common purpose which makes it easier for everyone to row in the same direction.
It’s All About the Rites of Passage
It takes planning. It takes intentional and sustained effort. It takes the ability to defend our calendars. But upholding our traditions is mission critical to creating a life of purpose and resiliency.
We are not on an island. We must forge a connection to our past and our future. We must uphold our most sacred traditions.
So go ahead and clear your calendar for that annual golf tournament. Go ahead and camp out in the backyard. Go ahead and kick-off every sales meeting with a quote from Tom Petty.
Go ahead and dump bacon grease over your head and scream “Snipe” as loud as you can.
Rites of passage keep us connected. And isn’t that what it’s all about?