We call it tradition when we’ve forgotten who chose it.
Field Notes
Traditions have a remarkable way of turning choices into something that feels inevitable.
At some point, someone decided a turkey belonged at the center of a Thanksgiving table. Enough people repeated it that the decision slowly disappeared, leaving only the feeling that this is simply what Thanksgiving is.
But traditions are never fixed. They’re stories we keep telling together.
We can hold on to gratitude while letting go of rituals that no longer reflect who we are. Every tradition was invented by someone. Which means every generation has the same opportunity—to question what it inherits, keep what still matters, and create something kinder in its place.