Old Traditions & New Beginnings

Old Traditions:

Near the end of every year, my mother & grandmother plant several types of beans in cotton and water them daily until the new year comes. I don’t quite know when/why/where this tradition started- so I’m not going to make it up. I do know, however, that it symbolizes renewal, life and new beginnings. It’s to acknowledge that just as these simple seeds grew thanks to their creator, we too are given a new life , a new start and a chance to grow.

I kind of admire how my grandmother takes the time to do this every single year, and I don’t recall any traditions that I personally take the time to do just because. Everything I do I feel like I need an end-goal, something I take back from it, whereas this is done because of what it represents- not because of what it gives or does. In an effort to stick to my roots, I think I will plant some beans next year. (sorry for the pun, it was bound to happen 😉 ).

New Beginnings:

I wanted to draw something for the new year and looked around for a suitable saying- you know- one that talks about renewal. Instead of finding what I was looking for, something about forgetting the hurtful past or such, I found something even better. A quote on repentance by Saint John Climacus! Now, I know repentance doesn’t really sound like a positive new year thought but- that’s exactly what it is! You see unlike 2014 changing into 2015 overnight- we won’t. Unless we actively seek to change, grow and be better individuals- we will stay the same people we were last year. Start this year striving for the purity given to you in baptism, start hopeful and repentant of past mistakes- seeking to bear a closer resemblance to Christ. I won’t ramble much (more) and let Saint John Climacus do the talking, process pictures are at the end of the post (and as always, my fiance did the lettering 🙂 ). Happy new year!