{"id":10983,"date":"2015-11-03T11:00:24","date_gmt":"2015-11-03T16:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beginnersheart\/?p=10983"},"modified":"2015-11-03T11:00:24","modified_gmt":"2015-11-03T16:00:24","slug":"traditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beginnersheart\/2015\/11\/traditions.html","title":{"rendered":"tradition(s)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"the<\/a>
the author’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This Hallowe’en my grandson was a Ninja Turtle. Donatello, to be precise:\u00a0Donnie, GiGi! <\/i>Wearing his Ninja Turtle pyjamas, wielding his formidable plastic sword, he wreaked cuteness on the neighbourhood. And expanded my always-growing beginner’s heart at least 2 sizes.<\/p>\n

His father AND his uncle were Ninja Turtles, more than 2 decades ago. Back when these two grown men were still blonde, still playing at who they might become. Now it’s Trin’s turn.<\/p>\n

\"the<\/a>
the author’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hallowe’en has always been one of my favourite holidays, both as a child (what’s not to like about free candy??) and as an adult. Back when most children were ‘free-range,’ I roamed the neighbourhood w\/ my girlfriends, trick-or-treating as a witch, as a hobo, as whatever I could concoct w\/ little help from my mother. It was before parents were so actively involved… \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

This year, my son & DIL bought Trin all kinds of paraphenalia, which his besotted paternal grandparents (that would be us!) augmented w\/ a Ninja T hoodie, and a sword & throwing stars. It was almost as much fun as the ensuing pictures!<\/p>\n

There is something deeply comforting about cycles. In our hurlyburly contemporary world, we don’t honour them nearly often enough. But watching my son’s face as he is thoroughly thwacked by a 2-year-old Ninja Turtle returns me to what seems such a short time ago. My beloved lay on the floor for a toddler to climb, just as my son does now for his son. And I listened then — as I did last night — while I did the things mothers & grandmothers do: cleared the dinner table.<\/p>\n

Life is a recursive process, full of loops that return you to moments long past. And often — more often than not — that is a very good thing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This Hallowe’en my grandson was a Ninja Turtle. Donatello, to be precise:\u00a0Donnie, GiGi! Wearing his Ninja Turtle pyjamas, wielding his formidable plastic sword, he wreaked cuteness on the neighbourhood. And expanded my always-growing beginner’s heart at least 2 sizes. His father AND his uncle were Ninja Turtles, more than 2 decades ago. Back when these…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":398,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,549,397,593],"tags":[11,1181,1187,262,1123,1195,1303,1022,672],"class_list":["post-10983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family","category-grandmothers","category-love","category-parenting","tag-beginners-heart","tag-britton-gildersleeve","tag-buddhism","tag-buddhist-blogs","tag-cycles","tag-family","tag-grandmothers","tag-grandsons","tag-halloween"],"yoast_head":"\ntradition(s) - Beginner's Heart<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This Hallowe'en my grandson was a Ninja Turtle. Donatello, to be precise:\u00a0Donnie, GiGi! 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