Culture, defining moments, and my daughter.

2013 is an hour old and I find myself reflecting on the events of the last week and a bit of my Christmas break. Finding myself back in the culture in which I grew up, from an extended time outside of that culture, I find myself noticing things. Things that maybe I would not have noticed if not for my other-culture experience.Like my daughter winning the almond in our family's Danish Christmas tradition of mixing an almond into the bowl of rice pudding. Like walking into a music festival with my daughter (at 5 years old) and watching her dancing to the strains of an Australian music legend. Like clinging on to a giggling Ms K as she (and I) negotiated the waves of the Pacific Ocean together for the first time.Watching my daughter experience these things for the first time has made me feel something that I am having difficulty putting into words.It has forced me to reflect on what it is that constitutes "me".  And to be honest, I have been surprised at how emotionally I have responded to these recent moments. I have always known that these things are important to me - family traditions, live music, surfing - but until these last few weeks where I have for the first time experienced each of them with my daughter, I have not understood how largely they frame "me".So what will define my daughter? How will being born in Thailand, toddling in Laos, pre-schooling in Saudi Arabia, schooling in who-knows-where and doing whatever from wherever after that, define her moments?Granted, it is a big question to ask, more rhetorical than literal, but worth asking all the same. Culture, defining moments, what's important!And now nearly two hours into a new year, as I contemplate resting my weary head upon my pillow, I know what I will be pondering as my eyes close.Culture, defining moments and my daughter.