Traditions help create memories. Traditions help impart our life values to our children. Traditions help give children a sense of identity. Traditions help create a sense of belonging. Traditions offer a sense of security.
Last week I had the privilege of putting on my makeup, wardrobe and stood one last time center ring of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
32 years ago I began a career there. I have made the best friends & family there. I met Karen there. My daughter Emily got to appear as a guest clown there.
A day doesn’t go by where I am reminded in some way, big or small, the importance of this circus and it’s traditions in my life.
The current clowns (many young enough to not have been born when I started), welcomed this old clown into their world and honored me with this gift of the last photo.
This thing we do is kept alive by passing down what we learned from those before us to the next generation. Those skills and traditions are like gifts we get to unwrap, play with for a bit, then hand off and watch them create something new & wonderful.
It’s nice to know there we will always have a place, with our clown family, where we belong…
