Having grown up in the center of a major city in the Eastern European country of Poland, my childhood is filled with warm memories of many social gatherings and celebrations. From holidays spent with family to impromptu get-togethers with friends, I grew up surrounded by loving people, good food, entertaining music and plenty of laughter. Not much was different about one party in particular that sticks out in my memory from the time I was 10 years old when our closest family and friends gathered around one evening for what turned out to be our farewell party. It was the fall of 1987 and we were immigrating to America.
Fast forward 28 years to this past summer when I found myself once again in Poland surrounded by my closest family at a gathering to celebrate my great aunt’s 85th birthday. At my side was my only child, Emily, age 10. Here we were visiting my home town, meeting relatives I haven’t seen in years, hearing stories I’ve never heard before, reliving memories, and touring places I used to frequent as a child. We spent two weeks experiencing my culture, my heritage, and my upbringing first hand, seeing it through my daughter’s eyes being the same age I was when I left and through my eyes after so many years. I was touched seeing Emily embracing the Polish culture, customs, traditions, cuisine and way of life and incorporate parts of it into her own daily life upon our return to the US. It was a fantastic learning opportunity and bonding experience for us both.
There’s something inherent to human nature that drives us to want to share our story. Equally so, “where do I come from” is a fundamental curiosity within each of us. So there’s a great benefit to visiting the place of your upbringing with your children, be it a short drive away or trip to the other side of the world. It allows you not only to tell your story, but to show your offspring where they come from. In that process, you get to learn not just about yourself but most importantly about each other, to make deep connections, to impart life values to your children, to pass down memories and family stories from one generation to the next and ultimately create a sense of identity and belonging. And that’s what the holidays are all about.
