Here’s the continuation of Buddha’s poem that I started writing about last week. I hope you enjoy!
“Do not put your faith in traditions only because they have been honored by many generations.”
I know that I have continued to do things just because “they are what we’ve always done” or because NOT doing them will hurt someone else’s feelings. It was easier to bury my head in the sand than to have an uncomfortable conversation about what I REALLY wanted to do. But, I have a feeling that honesty may just garner a better reaction than expected. Maybe mustering up the courage to break tradition is worth it.
Action or process based on ONLY tradition can be a mistake. It is important to note: only. There are traditions that represent years of validation based on trial and review. Looking at your actions to derive if they are based on what you think is always done or if you have establishd they are correct and appropriate. This is a good start to modify behaviors.
There is a significant difference between being guided by tradition and being bound by it. We are all products of our environment, good or bad. Tradition marks the path we have traveled, but not necessarily the path we will follow in the future. Each of us must process what we have learned along the way because it has made us what we are. We must continually filter the good from the bad as we move forward. What we decide is best for us today will be viewed as tradition tomorrow.