The reality is that life will disappoint us sometimes. People will let us down. Doors will close. But that’s not the end of our story — it’s just a redirection. 

Traditions anchor emotions in the arbitrary nature of time. They keep us connected and serve as a comfortable continuity across years, changes and age. My grandmother was something of an anchor herself within my family. She was always a centric presence during my childhood and, truthfully, a centric presence to almost everyone she encountered.