Well I have only seen “Fiddler on the Roof” one time, and that’s only because my brother Mike was the lead in it for Cathedral High School’s play.  I had only heard about it before, and as a kid my dad was always singing songs from it as he had the “album.”  (kids, if your parents are old enough to remember albums you can ask them)

But in all honesty it was awesome.  Mike as Tevye, as well as everyone in the play was outstanding, and that made it the best.  But one rea
son it really stuck out was because of the dynamic of the family. The family was faithful.  The father was always talking to God and worries about his children.  And they were embedded in their “Tradition.” (capitalized on purpose)  And more than that, they were proud of it too.  Wherever they may find themselves does not matter.  Tradition is important.

Now this may seem like a much larger deal to you than it is to me, as I was upset after I took the picture I am using tonight as Ben refused to get on the dog.  And in doing so, or rather not doing so, he broke what in my mind (and from what you can see) was a tradition.  No, not a capital T tradition by any means, although we a big Butler Bulldog people, but enough to where I considered taking him out to have his DNA checked to see if he might have been switched for our real son at the hospital.  But he, as they say, is (often, way too often) his own man, so he made it clear he would just stand by the statue of Blue instead…..thus the disparity in the two pictures.

And all of this reminded me to include the ever popular third picture which is of Steph and Ben at Brookfield Zoo (my favorite) in Chicago this summer.  Yes another statue for my children to sit on, and Ben was once again “his own man,” but this time I had him.  You see, times have changed, and where my dad might make some “direct suggestion” to me to get on that, let’s just use the word “lion” here, I would understand clearly that my life could be in danger.  (To paraphrase Bill Cosby, he used to tell his children that he brought them INTO the world and he could take them right back OUT too)  Kids of my generation understood that kind of parental advice.

BUT apparently, that type of “advice” is no longer socially acceptable, unless of course you are a sibling.  When Steph and Scott are now together they tell me stories and all I can say is “NO NO NO….I do not want to know.”  You see I remember “sibling justice” and whereas parents are often afraid of violating social norms, your brother or sister doesn’t really care.  I fortunately could not hear, but I am pretty certain it was not “Please oh please my dearest brother and come sit with me on this stone lion.”  I just know he got up (reluctantly) smiled, and moved on.

Ben also did other BU family traditions like walking around Hinkle Fieldhouse, climbing to the top and sitting by himself, and talking me into expensive food that he wouldn’t eat.  But hanging with my kids is always a lot of fun.  I just hope to get all three of them there together someday, because I love reliving our Traditions.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.


Tommy+