Symbol or Stigma? When Culture Dictates Character " Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." – Gustav Mahler But what happens when the fire dims under the weight of unquestioned norms? What do we preserve when the layers of tradition begin to silence individual expression?" Have you ever found yourself wondering how much of who we are is shaped by the traditions we inherit? At what point does honoring those traditions begin to stifle our individuality? Lately, a moment from my personal life brought this into focus. This question came to mind recently during a seemingly ordinary moment in our family. A marriage proposal meeting for my masi (au...