Ritual is routine infused with mindfulness.
It is a habit made holy.
Thinking about our routines in this way can open our understanding to the magic of the mundane. For example, packing my kids' lunch boxes can either be a hasty and uninspired stuffing, much the way a dealer deals cards, (one for you, one for you, one for you...)or I can think about my sweet little people taking their seats in the bustling cafeteria and having a little taste of home in the middle of their day. We have the option to either eye-roll certain tasks and errands (folding laundry, shoveling snow off the walk, getting groceries, or picking up drycleaning) or we can choose to turn commonplace things into an act of love. The difference is in our attitude, in whether or not we choose to be inspired. Is something representative of the oppression of responsibility or is it buoyed by the big-picture honor of the assignment? If the habit of running has become holy, what other areas of our lives are in need of inspiration? Where can we, as Mother Teresa so aptly said, do 'small things with great love?' Where can we infuse mindfulness into our monotony? Next time you lace up your shoes and head out the door, try to think of one way this week to consecrate the common, to sanctify the standard.
I LOVE the last line...consecrate the common, sanctify the standard.
Here's a peek into our routines that are infused with love and mindfulness:
- Making whole wheat pancakes after a Saturday morning run with the hubby.
I love that I can feed him something good and wholesome.
- Hugging Brandon before he leaves for work.
Than sitting on the stairs until his car pulls away. I wouldn't start my morning any other way!
- Watching some sci-fi movie and/or TV series when we get home from work.
It's our time to snuggle and re-connect after a long day apart.
So tonight I'm going to try and infuse some love into laundry folding. We have about four baskets filled with clean clothes and a lot of potential for love!!
2 comments:
I think I'm going to have to read some Kristen Armstrong. One of our rituals I like to infuse with love is grocery shopping. We like to go grocery shopping together and plan out our weekly meals; it's like a weird date-night. But it makes what would be a chore really lovely. (I'm sure once we have kids this ritual will disappear, so I enjoy it while I can.)
Oh yeah...you'll love Kristen's writing. She has a blog on Runner's World (Mile Markers) and a couple of books. I like the grocery shopping/date and I LOVE the new Crenshaw family cooking blog. Although I think I'll skip the kool-aid pickles!
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