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A New Psychology of Growth Through Love and Tradition
Incorporating love and tradition into psychological practice, this perspective sheds light on how these powerful forces can support us in overcoming obstacles and achieving sustainable growth in every aspect of our lives.
I’m sixteen, and stubborn, and still working on why it is that people have to lean against each other when there are no words. I underperformed on a math test last spring. My initial inclination was to retreat into my room and scroll through memes. Mom did something different. She pulled out Gran’s torn recipe book and said, “Let’s fry pooris. We’ll talk later.”
The aroma of hot dough snapped me out of my sullen act faster than any motivational video. In between their sizzles, Mom dropped in brief questions — no speeches, no condemnation. That combination of crunchy comfort food and silent listening patched me together. I did not realise it at the time, but she was reaching for two ancient tools — love and tradition — to light the spark that would get my bounce-back started.
Today’s psychologists might refer to it as “emotion‐focused coping.” Gran referred to this as Sunday Lunch.
