I GIVE THANKS FOR CELEBRATIONS
Life needs to be fun and celebrations create opportunities
for even more fun! All religions seem to share certain elements- prayer and
fasting being obvious examples, and equally they have joyous periods set aside
for celebration.
Celebrations create a buzz in us and an opportunity to be
extravagant. These days many people tend to take this to the extreme,
especially in the ‘present buying’ department, however it is a great thing to
love and appreciate ourselves and others. Celebrations can provide good
opportunities for people to bond as families- equally they can create further
divisions.
We need to be able to identify who we are and what we regard
as important. Celebrations and ceremonies become very much a part of our
personal make-up and give us something to look forward to in our daily lives. Many
celebrations stem from institutional/religious practice- marriage being a prime
example. People may choose to marry quietly however weddings are generally
large occasions and designed to be memorable- the best day of a woman’s life!
And of course, celebrations are essential to status and economy!
Once you have children celebrations take on a life of their
own. Birthday parties can be enjoyable or a parental nightmare but that is
dependent upon your child’s expectations. If you embrace peer pressure and are competitive,
providing outstanding parties might be a personal highlight- phew, am I glad my
kids are now adults! These days we have baby showers as well as hen nights, not
just Mothering Sunday but Father’s day and I have even heard mention of
Grandparent days.
Of course there are many different types of celebration. The
Olympics is a huge celebration of human physical achievement encompassing
physical and mental attributes. Discipline is essential when aiming to achieve
any goal. We have celebratory days encompassing educational aims and
achievements- Black History Month is a prime example; we also celebrate
individual achievements- passing a driving test, getting a new job, buying or
renting a nice home.
Celebrations keep the spirit buoyant and cause to celebrate
is a great motivator. Society sets certain standards and we are encouraged to comply. School exams, beauty pageants set so called desirable traits or levels of learning- how useful these skills prove to be is determined by individual attitudes and opportunities.
Where would we be if all of our achievements slipped past
un-noticed? Life would be very flat indeed, so let’s keep finding great reasons
to enjoy ourselves and create a long list of accomplishments!
Jaz McKenzie
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