While Finns are for the most part about as unreligious as a nation can get, they still adhere to many of the traditions when it suits them. For instance, church weddings, mass at Christmas, and like we attended today, confrmations. I don't think there is much religious about it, even though the camps they go on are filled with church content, but I think that the kids enjoy being away for a week, making new friends. I have been to several over the years now and so far and there has been nothing remotely churchy about it.
Seems like an excuse to have friends and family over for a party.
Or perhaps it is seen as a coming of age event.
Whatever it is for, any excuse to hang out with friends, eat good food, and have some laughs, is good in my books. Though organizing today came with some extra challenges for the hosts, as after all the organizing, all the invites, all the cooking - they were confirmed positive.
The family got Covid.
And this still seems to scare people, though I still see it as a flu. Because of this though, they firstly understood if people wanted to cancel their attendance, but they also went to lengths to host it outside instead of in the house.
They even got a small marquee, because rain was forecast.
But it didn't rain, and while the hosts were masks and kept distances, we won't know how many will get sick anyway. However, even if some do, school is heading back this Wednesday coming, so the spread of illness is guaranteed.
This is something I find kind of funny, as while people will avoid friends and family who are sick, they make some assumption that everywhere else they go is safe. It is like people would rather get sick from strangers, than someone they know. As I was saying to my wife who was concerned about going with her starting work tomorrow, school coming, and Smallsteps' birthday with family next weekend, unless we lock ourselves away, which is not viable, we will get sick if we do, and stay healthy if we do.
For me at least, even though I am considered in a "risk group" still, I would far rather spend my time with friends and family when I can, then lock myself away alone to try and hold back the inevitable.
It is also inevitable that if we don't spend time together, if we don't break bread, share stories, and create environment for relationships to develop, our local communities are going to fall apart. The digital world doesn't fill the gaps, of a human's needs.
Taraz
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