Make It Your Own

2 min read

Recently, our family celebrated a significant milestone – my Baba's (dad's) 70th birthday. The event gathered family and friends from both near and far, culminating in an evening brimming with joy, warmth, and togetherness. Laughter, heartfelt conversations, music, dance, and the embrace of loved ones created an emotional tapestry that transcended time and distance.

Throughout the celebration, Baba's words struck a chord, revealing a treasure trove of experiences from his past. Born in Sierra Leone during a time when births went largely unrecorded and birthdays held little significance, his perspective shifted remarkably upon arriving in the United States at the age of seventeen. In this new world, birthdays took center stage as a cultural practice. While initially viewing these annual events with limited significance, he eventually embraced this tradition, recognizing the potential to adopt a new perspective and infuse personal meaning into this cultural practice. For Baba, birthdays became means of affirming one's aliveness by channeling generosity towards others. It is a day to be grateful for our lives and celebrate all the forces that sustain us, including the people in our community. So, in lieu of cards and gifts and making himself the center of attention, that evening, Baba invited each person in attendance to express a wish/prayer for the world aloud. It's often said that love is a form of prayer, and praying for someone is an act of love. Whoever loves you also prays for you, and those who pray for you are expressing their deep affection. As we heard and listened to each other's wishes, we affirmed our love for one another. 

What resonated deeply from this celebration was to derive meaning from our surroundings, even if those traditions seem unfamiliar. Baba's story underscored the importance of blending established customs with individual interpretations. This process involves immersing ourselves in the culture of our environment, understanding its nuances, and crafting a personal significance that enriches our lives. It's a call to unearth meaning from our experiences, allowing the cumulation of knowledge and emotions to inspire novel actions – actions that are intrinsically meaningful to us.

In this journey, we are encouraged to take the threads of our surroundings and weave them into a tapestry that adorns our lives with purpose and meaning. Baba's example of embracing his new culture and reshaping it through his unique lens serves as a testament to our potential to forge a life that resonates with our environment and inner values.

Just as Baba's interpretation of his new culture enabled him to find personal meaning within birthday traditions, we also have the ability to shape our lives in harmony with our environment and our fundamental principles.

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