For the last few decades I have had the impression that the word "tradition" represents something old and completely useless. It is narrow-minded, without a reason so it has to be changed. I am tempted to say that right now many people actually would like to reject traditional in the name of progression.
But can we exist without tradition? If you ask yourself who you are then probably you will start to refer to things that you have or do. But actually we are who we are because of tradition. Tradition contains the wisdom of the past. It grows on the experience that wasn't a theory but it was reality. Tradition gives us our identity. It tells us where we are from and where our roots are.
Tradition doesn't have to be practical. It is not to make our life easier but rather makes it deeper. I believe every one has some family traditions that gathers people together and makes them united around it.
You are probably wondering why I am taking about tradition now. In a few weeks we will begin Advent. It is a time of waiting, preparation. Unfortunately under the influence of marketing this season has completely disappeared. We have Christmas trees all over, Christmas carols and songs are in every store. There is no time wasted on waiting. The product has to be sold but at the same time we have sold our tradition away. The sad part is that just the next day after Christmas everything is gone and everybody seems to be tired with Christmas.
I have my old Advent tradition that probably is not very attractive for the modern world. My Christmas tree has to wait until the last Sunday of Advent or the last day of Advent. Everything is prepared but has to wait until the time comes. And then when the Christmas lights turn on, I have this joy of something that finally came and makes this special time different. I do not watch football or check my emails. The entire Advent prepared me to have spiritual joy of the beauty of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you want to experience it, use Advent as your time of preparation, spiritual and physical. I can promise you that your Christmas is going to be different and you will see that the old tradition of waiting has very deep reasons.