Tom, whose name was changed for the purpose of this essay, spends his weekends in Paradise Valley, Arizona just like any other father and husband. He wakes up in the morning, has his coffee, and begins to mow the lawn. In the afternoon, he sits down and turns on the T.V. to see what’s playing. He leaves the channel on a football or basketball game. Tom’s household sets aside one day of the weekend for a family dinner. But two or three times a year the family barbecue is special. Tom and his family uphold a tradition that his parents had passed on to him. At first his wife seemed to be upset about the idea, but she learned to embrace it. Tom brought his future wife home to meet his parents. They all sat down a shared a family meal. His mother’s
