Ritual

For the past week or so, my kids have slept at the same time during the night and day. This allows for a routine. This, in turns, means I can account for my time, plan, and arrive at the end of the day not terribly exhausted. Right now, so help me, I even have a plate of oatmeal cookies and a steaming cup of decaf sitting next to my laptop. I don't want to gloat.

Ritual. Ritual is habit. Is habit ritual? No; habits are often forced whereas ritual is chosen. It is about control. Who is in control - the ritual or the ritualer? The ritualer would like to be. Ritual can be an indulgence, like these cookies. It can be symbolic, like the exchange of rings.

Is a routine a ritual? I think only when life is forced into subjection to it. When the routine is prioritized over something less important than the routine itself, it is a ritual; it is for its own sake. I must always ask myself, why must I do it this way?

In my own case, I know that I must have the joint nap time, and the sleeping through the night, if I'm going to have surplus energy after taking care of the kids all day. If one or both is awake all day, then my only time to complete tasks without them is when they go to bed, and after that, I go to bed. When they nap, or have their own quiet time, I can do house work, and then when they go to bed, I can study.

So, now, life flourishes because we have a routine. It is for our sake, our good, as a family. I admit there is a part of me that likes the routine for its own sake, too. I like feeling in control. However, with that admission, I feel like I have paid my dues the past 15 months or so of having no control and no routine, so I'm going to enjoy this coffee moment.