Roots and Branches

    " Traditioooooooooon. Tradition!"     This line from the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" was often quoted in my house. I have a younger brother who takes upon himself the role of "tradition enforcer" every holiday season, ruling the yuletide celebrations with an iron fist. The Christmas tree had to go up the day after thanksgiving...why?        "Because it's tradition!" he would reply.       We were even cajoled to make hard cookies in the shape of candy canes every single year, simply because we always had.      I wonder how my brother, who fulfilled his role so dutifully, would react if I told him none of the things he loved so much about the holidays were actually "tradition".       In actuality, traditions go much deeper than when and how you put up your Christmas tree.     Traditions  are inherited  patterns of belief or behavior that are passed down from g...

" All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.   They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts."     -----William Shakespeare     There's a little Shakespeare to interrupt your Old-English free weekend. You're welcome.      Now,  I 'm not an English major, but I've read enough of the required classics to know that Shakespearean logic should not always be taken as fact. However, I think he might be onto something with this one. This quote, spoken by Shakespeare's character Jacques in the play, "As You Like It", lays out someone's entire journey from birth to death in metaphorical simplicity:     Life is simply the interaction of roles, and although we all pass through the same phases of life, we all react to them differently.       That may seem like an oversimplification, and maybe it is, but it's one that correlates strongly with several family theorie...

  WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. Put down your pitchforks and let's talk.      Saving the Earth's resources is a misguided undertaking? Well okay, certainly not every effort to care for our planet is misguided...and admittedly that title may be hovering on the line of clickbait, but this is something that needs your attention!       For decades, a well-known but equally well-disproven theory has wormed its way into family planning discussions, ecological conservation conversations, and even unsolicited advice from nosy family members. I'm talking about the myth of the population bomb, and a resulting growing disinterest in bigger families. Have you ever heard or thought ideas like these? " I think I only want one or two kids. I don't want to leave too big of a footprint." "Isn't it kind of irresponsible to bring new kids into the world when there's already so many in foster care and orphanages?" "Kids are so expensive! I don't think I could affor...

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Welcome to Roots and Branches! If you've read my About the Author page, you know I grew up  surrounded by loud, crazy relatives, each of whom I love dearly. We have had our share of trials, from parental unemployment to serious, life-changing struggles with mental health. However, despite the clouds of trial, I can honestly say that my family is still the greatest blessing and support I have. I understand that many have very different life experiences from my own that may rightfully discolor their opinion of the family unit. However, my personal experiences with my family, as well as my observation of the steady influx of familial apathy among my friends and peers, has brought to my mind the importance of advocating for the nuclear family. Loud voices fight to normalize abortions, casual sex, abandoning family responsibilities in favor of the ever-promoted “me time”, and the discrediting of the social family structure as a whole. Far from wanting to add another contentious voice to...