The Moment Between – Why Rites of Passage Matter

If you really think about it, life is a series of milestones that mark where we’ve been and where we’re headed next. Some are small, like getting your first driver’s license or your first job, and others feel monumental, like graduations or big celebrations.

I still remember my middle school graduation. We all sat in rows of folding chairs, dressed a little too formally for a gymnasium that smelled faintly of basketballs and cleaning spray. When they called my name, I walked across the stage, shook hands with the principal, and smiled for a picture that I knew my mom would frame. It felt like the end of something and the beginning of something else.

That’s the thing about rites of passage: they’re not just ceremonies. They’re stories we tell about growing up, moving forward, and becoming someone new.

Anthropologists have studied these rituals for centuries, from tribal initiation ceremonies in Africa to bar mitzvahs in Jewish culture. Each one marks a symbolic transformation: child to adult, student to graduate, single to married.

And though our settings have changed, from open fields to school gyms to virtual livestreams, the meaning remains the same. These moments help us understand that growth isn’t just a personal journey; it’s something shared.