Culture in my own life

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines culture as; “the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time”. The most influential “social group” in my life is my family. Every family has their own culture, their set of values, beliefs, and so forth. There are many other things and social groups that can influence someone’s personal culture. Church, for example, has also been a very big influence in my own culture. 

My family grew up running through the forest treading across leaves and breaking twigs under our feet. We spent weeks fishing, sleeping in tents, and eating around a campfire. Hours and hours were spent outside playing in the mud, grass, and water as long as the sun was shining. When school was out for a couple of extra days you could find our house empty, truck full of kids buckled up with joyful smiles and excited giggles, and the trailer packed ready for an adventure in the mountains. My dad taught me how to fish, my mom taught me how to have fun with nothing but the great outdoors, and I soaked up every second. In life I’ve found that there are few things that make me happier than spending a whole day outside disconnected from the rest of the world. At the end of a long day of hiking, there are no regrets except maybe that I decided to come home. This is truly a part of my culture. Camping and enjoying nature will always be a key aspect of my life. I would never change the experiences I’ve had in the great outdoors and I hope to paint the same picture for my children someday.

Another part of my culture that came to me from my family is a love of all things Brigham Young University. As a young girl I watched in admiration as my dad cheered on the cougars during football, volleyball, basketball, or whatever sport was in season. I became devoted to the color blue and the three letters, B-Y-U. My parents instilled a sense of pride in the Lords school into our family. I followed suit as my older brothers cheered along with my dad and jumped up and down yelling and screaming at the television. I watched my older cousin at every home game as he played as starting setter for the Brigham Young University Men’s Volleyball team. I bonded with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents over BYU sports and it will always be a big part of my life.

While my family instilled many wonderful things into my personal culture, some other social groups have done so, but negatively. I grew up in a very religious community where everyone was very close knit. Many people expected perfection from everyone they went to church with or came in contact with. If they didn’t abide by their standards of perfection, then they should be looked down upon. This became normal to me and I did the same. I assumed that anyone who did something that I considered “bad” was in the wrong and needed to be reprimanded and they needed to change. I eventually realized that this is not the plan Heavenly Father has for his children and that it was my job to love and respect everyone no matter the decisions they made. I think that this aspect of religious culture could be improved. We need not resent people for their decisions but give them a guiding hand if they seem in need.Elder Robert D. Hales said; “Some of us have strayed at one time or another. Some have repented and come back; but some, for one reason or another, are still looking for the right moment, the right person, or the right set of circumstances to come back. As member shepherds of our Father in Heaven’s flock, we should not judge why some have strayed, but rather should try unceasingly to bring them back again into the fold, knowing Jesus can heal them when none other can.”

Another negative aspect that was a part of my culture growing up was my dad being away for work. When I was young my brothers and I would leave for school at 8 a.m. and return home a little after 3 p.m. My Dad would leave for work before we got home from school and he would get home at 3 a.m. None of us kids saw our dad until Saturdays, and Sundays. This created a sense of urgency to spend time together and a bit of a strain on our young forming relationships. My dad was never home at 6 o’clock like most dads for dinner, my dad never got to attend any school performances, sports practices or games. I just assumed that this is how everyone’s life was, and never realized how much this put a damper on the relationship between my father and I. Hopefully I can do my part in not carrying on this part of my culture and give my children the relationship with their parents that they deserve.