Write about a family tradition you grew up with
Prompt 3 of The Prompted Memoir
This weekend, my mom sent a family photo of my brothers, nieces, and nephews gathered around a picnic table in our backyard. The table was covered with newspaper as my dad pulled out the boiled crawfish, potatoes, and corn. Steaming hot and spicy red. In the photo, they are smiling, talking with mouths full, and sipping sweet tea while the baby runs around in the background. I am 2,295 miles away from my hometown in Tacoma, WA from my Louisiana roots. Seeing this photo awakens all of my body’s memory of this Spring Crawfish boil, the same way it does in February when Mardi Gras comes around with the sound of the parade booms down the street and the smell of King cake fills my nose.
Traditions are powerful to recall, nostalgic, beautiful, and sometimes painful as times. What comes to mind when you think about your family traditions growing up? Perhaps there is a specific story or scene? Or the recurring Sunday dinner? Or the holiday you don’t really believe in anymore, but damn.. you can’t help but love it anyways.
Write based on this prompt and see what arises for you!
Let me know how it goes, Megan
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I’m loving the guided prompts so far. This tradition one will be a challenge as I come from a very broken childhood but I really appreciate the spark to dig in and explore my background x