Rituals

 

 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. (Leviticus 23:40)

Yesterday, someone on social media asked how our birthdays in 2020 have been. For me, COVID-19 hasn’t put much of a damper on holidays. It didn’t need to. I don’t tend to celebrate holidays unless it’s by playing music. Last year, I added putting up signs to my festivities. I’m not saying signs are a bad way to celebrate, but let’s just agree that I’m not exactly tearing leaves from trees, and I’m not dancing like David danced before the Lord when taking the ark of God to Jerusalem. I love to think about the meaning of holidays, but I’m not one to celebrate.

To give a good contrast, my next-door neighbor just filled her front yard with Halloween decorations. I know people who have put up hundreds of lights for Christmas, and others who have giant inflatable yard decorations. I may enjoy them and even photograph them, but that’s just not my thing.

And, it’s 2020. We’ve faced pandemics, wildfires, hurricanes, terrorist assaults on our cities, political unrest and overreach and who knows what all else. In some ways, and for many people, it’s been a tough year. We not only need to celebrate, but we need to share that celebration with others. We need the uplift of spirit.

As the days grow shorter, it will do us good to find ways to not only boost our spirits, but to encourage one another. One way that we can do this, mostly for ourselves, is ritual. Whatever rituals you may want to add to your life, let them first be healthy. Secondly, let them have meaning. Thirdly, choose rituals that involve the senses: light, color, scent, action, touch, sound, and taste. This is part of the reason I do plastic canvas stitchery. It lets me do something creative using color. I don’t know that it’s quite a ritual, but one could develop a ritual of making holiday presents or decorations. Another seemingly foolish ritual I practiced for a while was putting new candles on the kitchen table at the beginning of each month, using a different color for each month. Even planting and caring for plants can be a ritual that provides beauty to the eyes, nose, and possibly even the mouth and ears.

Another way to do this is with words and images on which we meditate and which we share. Whether it’s on social media, or through the mail, sending greetings, thoughts, and encouragement also encourages us. I tend to hate the task of Christmas cards, but maybe this year, especially if I can think of something real and personal to say in them that goes beyond the commercial platitudes.

It’s up to you – whatever you choose to do, but you’ll benefit from even thinking about it.