#036 - Tradition - pt. 2

MAY 2024

Lyfting around Baltimore

Continuing on the thought path of tradition, with all the Ubers and Lyfts I travel in, I can easily connect with drivers on meaningful levels, most of whom are traditional Americans. They live daily normal lives like most of us do and drive through the city streets, picking up passengers. Some of my drivers do not talk to me or aren’t that open, but ninety percent of them that pick me up open up and have some life-changing conversations. In Baltimore, I rode with two Muslim men who talked to me about the demons that roam city streets and how the angel of death visits three times daily. I've seen firsthand seemingly sane and well-meaning people devolve into nonsensical rants or commit awful acts of violence. It's true in every major city in our country, and I can't help but shudder at the comments.

Later in the week, I had two Christian women reaffirm the feelings. The thought developed into people having to be "open" for that to happen. If you are mentally healthy and have good Christian armor, then you would not be prone to attacking or rambling like a demon. The last Lyft driver said, "You better not have any chinks in your armor." Christians are driven by traditional good and evil symbolism, and good and evil traditions languish in their existence. So, note: Ensure you're prepared for a spiritual battle. But I'm getting slightly off track.

This morning, Jacob helped me get back to the shop, and after noticing his radio playing Joel Osteen, I asked him about his faith and family. He’s a family man, and I can tell he is from a French-speaking African nation using some inference clues. The natural fluidity of his native tongue clashes with the harsh consonants of the English language, but regardless, he is a master of English. 

If I didn’t need to speak truth into his life and his into mine, I may have asked him about the traditions in his family. Recently, I had the absolute honor of attending a traditional Nigerian wedding ceremony, and it was one of the most fun events I have ever attended. I researched afterward to double-check what happened when the groom bartered for the bride with cases of Heineken and Coca-Cola products. Perhaps his culture did similar things? My family often barters with free meals of showmanship between rich relatives. Family values are similar, too. Jacob debated taking a job where he traveled a lot, but because of his loyalty to his wife and family, he decided it would be unfair to leave her to raise the kids alone. Discipline is universal, though punishment methods differ from parent to parent. Even though we come from different cultures, the traditions are the same, especially when American traditions do not exist or are made up Ad Hoc. 

Rocket’s red glare.

If you want some good patriotic red, white, and blue American reading, the origin of the American national anthem is pretty interesting. The poem “The Star Spangled Banner” was written during the War of 1812. Still, it was not until the early 20th century that it was joined with a jaunty bar tune from the 1700s and made into the National Anthem of Freedom and Fergie’s Nightmare. As a young and prosperous nation, America has always struggled with a traditional National identity. Our national identity, constantly evolving and changing, is one of those things that makes America unique. Our popular culture drives the market forces golbally and is copied and spun nationally in other countries. I apologize for the American exceptionalism; you can expect that from me now. 

Until 1930, we had no identifying national anthem, though every other country seemed to have one. And if you read about the history, some historians say it was a joke internationally. So, to stave off the jocular global community and during a time when national pride needed a boost (the start of the Great Depression), Hoover and Congress decided on the current anthem as it stands today. In the eyes of the current generation, the lyrics and lyricist are less-than-perfect, making it a target for change. Reflecting on Ol’ Glory to a new tune may be in our future as it holds for scribes. If it took around one hundred and fifty years to establish a national anthem, some traditions may take time but have lasting generational effects. What would a new national anthem sound like? It can be treasonous to mess with the sacred traditions of the state and the church.

Save tradition, save the world. 

I’m sure you and I can think of many traditions we celebrate. When the star is placed on the tree at Christmastime, in my family or for me, my parents always host Thanksgiving. Traditionally, my dad may get in a spat with my uncle over something petty, but these traditions, once again, are the glue that bonds a connected society. Without it, we become lost to the past or the history that bore us. True, some traditions may need to be relegated to relics, and I’m smart enough not to get into it here, but I'll leave you with this. Maybe it will get us all thinking about traditions and what they mean. And how they may need to change, but also how they must be cherished and passed along. Who knows when we started putting pumpkins out to ward off evil spirits or put trees with candles in our homes to remind us of everlasting life? Wikipedia does. All we know is time-honored traditions bring us closer, and connected communities thrive. 

So, to end this journey of tradition, what traditions in your life need to change? What traditions are you and I mindlessly following that needed to die out with the Dinosaurs? Also, what traditions can you establish today that will be passed down to the next generation?

More soon. Thank you for reading.