Traditions

It is Chief Joseph Days 

in Wallowa County, Oregon

Native Americans

and "cowboys" alike gather

our little town of 900 becomes a 

town of thousands overnight

and for over 20 years

perhaps closer to 30

I have participated 

in the 

rituals of the event

the family rituals

the next to the last rodeo show!

north grandstands

center section

staking out space with plastic chairs for the parade

meaning

up at 5

in town by 5:30am

then down to the rodeo grounds for the 

Shriners breakfast

followed by a look at the rodeo animals

and then a hike through all the booths

set up downtown

the parade

dogs and burgers at our place

then.....

whatever is next

the lake

or just sitting in the sun talking

but times change

life changes

rituals come and go

Saturday night is now Friday

the carnival is no more

and frankly

the pancakes

and sausags

and really bad coffee aren't the 

same without brother-in-law Dan

 

nor is the walk through the booths

Dan was born here and knew everyone

and he loved to talk

it would take an hour to go a block

 

Tiger Lilly

our lovely paint mare

 is not going carry

one of the chiefs this year

 

and I have no relative in the parade

 for once

things change

things remains the same

and yet those traditions and rituals we can hang on to

are somehow comforting

and rewarding

 

 I would be deeply saddened not to have

the rituals of Chief Joseph Days

it reminds me of faith

and worship

things change

things remain the same

 

as we rush to "worship God"

in new ways

let us remember that there is great value

in some of those "old" traditions

they provide a foundation

from which we find 

the security

and freedom

to move forward into new places

and create 

new expressions

of

faith