Today was the Fisherman's Feast in honor of the Madonna del Soccorso.

I am beginning to see that feast days mean different things to different people. For some it is just a time to get together with family and eat good food, or to raise much needed money for a church, or to remember loved ones.

The origination of all of these feasts all boil down to one thing. Keeping a community from harm. Traditions put in place so fisherman would prosper, or the plague would cease, or earth tremors would stop. Anything.

I enjoy traditions, but sometimes become frusturated when people go through the motions of a certain ritual without realizing what they are doing or saying. This this rang true with the feasts. But now I realize if families get together, eat food, give money to their communtiy, and remember loved ones, they are keeping themselves from harm by spending time with and looking out for eachother. The original intention is the same 500 years later.

I miss my family. But I am sleeping a little better.