The Importance Of Traditions In My Life

Growing up, church on Sunday mornings was a given and backyard barbeques were the norm. I am from the beautiful suburbs of Tampa, Florida. I have lived there all of my life and have loved every part about it. In the past couple of years, my community has grown in faith tremendously; one of my close friends was hit by a car the fall semester of our senior year and was in a coma for many months. Our community came together, prayed for her and put our faith completely in God’s hands to heal her. This tragic event was a powerful reminder of what it means to be a community in Christ and the power that pray can have not only just in a community but also in my life alone.
Most traditions in my family involve food, like for Christmas my older brother

For the fourth of July, my whole family has a reunion in Kentucky. We barbeque, children play in the pool, I meet awkward family members who don’t even know my name but claim that I have gotten so big since the last time they saw me. I am not a naturally funny person so, I always rely on the jokes from popsicle sticks in the effort to be comical; my dad and grandfather make jokes about the past, which no one else understands. Kentucky comes with traditions itself, going to the horse race track early in the morning to watch the jockeys work out the race horses, getting breakfast at the track kitchen and admiring the neatly manicured horse farms. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays; my intermediate family goes to my grandmother 's (on my mother’s side) house. Three of my cousins that are around the same age as my older brother and I, live there with their parents as well. We all gather together in fellowship, eating

I would consider us to be a very close knit family. My brother is my best friend and the biggest influence in my life. Without him, my life would be even more chaotic than it already is. I am blessed to have both sides of grandparents very close to me, and visit them often. My grandparents on my mother’s side are two of the most impactful people in my life. They are both from the south, so southern hospitality and good food are a certainty. My grandmother with the help from God defeated cancer, has had three hip replacements, two knee surgeries and is still one of the strongest believers I know. She has taught me how to cook and how to be a Godly woman in all circumstances. My grandfather is currently battling Parkinson’s but is still one of the best rifle and pistol target shooters I have ever met. When I was a little girl, he would always emphasize the importance of family, and how no matter who comes into our lives or where we go, family is a constant. Even with all the trials they go through, they stay strong in their faith and continue to be an example for the generations looking up to them.
In my family, English is our primary language. Proper etiquette has always been stressed as well as not using poor slang or foul language. My parents raised my brother and I in a southern household, so when addressing authority, they are “ma 'am” or “sir”, no exceptions. I was taught that the