As an adult I've come to recognize all of the little rituals either my parents created, or I myself eventually created. Like sewing in my room watching a movie I'd seen a hundred times before, or eating Cap n Crunch will taking in the Christmas lights.
One ritual I adopted in my early twenties is steeped in music. When John Mayer or Sara Bareilles would come out with a new album, I'd set out candles in a large circle on my living room floor at night, lay down in the middle of it, and listen to the new album all the way through. I wanted to hear it as they intended, with each track being specifically chosen in the line up.
This morning I went on a walk down by the river, another ritual I've created in the last two years, and listened to a couple John Mayer albums from start to finish. It took me back to the age and place I was in when I first listened. It reminded me of how much I've changed and in many ways grown since first listening. It was like meeting back up with an old friend and feeling the same kind of familiarity, tenderness, and love.
I like to be in control (or at least think I'm in control), I typically like order and routine, and I am a lover of rituals, big or small, shared or personal. I like the old and the new, and use them to help handle stress and anxiety, to process emotions, or to check out for a brief time and give myself a bit of respite. Every morning I drink my first cup of coffee alone with myself on my couch. This daily ritual helps me wake up, keep me grounded, and show myself a little self-care.
