Tradition!

"A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition! " - Tevya - Fiddler on the Roof





I have thought a lot about this quote this weekend. This was the weekend the whole Doxey clan looks forward to all year. Grandpa Doxey's birthday celebration. In the past we have had pot luck dinners at a ward house, we have eaten at Home Town Buffet, and we have gorged ourselves at the infamous Chuck A Rama. Fourteen years we have gathered despite grandpa having heart surgery, grandpa living in England, basketball playoffs, babies being born, missions, Temple President assignments, and other various comings and goings. Sarah and I were not even married when we had that first celebration at Chuck A Rama in 1994. Becky only had 2 kids, Meg had 4 and I know Lisa didn't have 11 yet. MY, how things have changed and families have doubled.

Besides Grandpa's 80th birthday celebration last year this has to be my 2nd favorite gathering I have participated in. 92 Doxey's together in one large room at the well known Maddox Lodge in Brigham City, Ut. Ages ranging from a few months old to grandpa who is now 81. The amazing part is that we had many who were not there ( I have no idea how many I just know we missed Sarah, Marilee, Robert and Carol).

With a gathering of this magnitude at such a elaborate restaurant I found myself saying just as Tevya did in Fiddler on The Roof, "Why do we stay up there (do this) if it is so dangerous (and expensive)?" Instinctively I heard myself respond; "That I can tell you in one word; tradition." Bah bump, bump, bump, bump, bump. Beware the tune is catchy.

Thank goodness for Traditions! Grandpa can have many more birthday celebrations to come. Despite the chaos, the food that is not eaten yet paid for, the little ones that bounce off the walls, the not being able to get all the way around the room to say hello to everyone before we have to leave, the many faces that honestly I don't know their names, the workers and other patrons of the restaurant that look at us with a bit of anxiety, despite all this I always look forward to next year.

So here's to Grandpa who is 81! I just want to end my thoughts with a revised version of Fiddler on the Roof-

A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village (family) of Anatevka (Doxey's), you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka (The Doxey's) is (are) our home (family). And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!