One Apple A Day #442 – rituals
In chapter 21 of "The Little Prince", the prince meets the fox. Even if you haven't read the book for sure, you have heard or read the most famous quote from this chapter, the secret that the fox reveals to the little prince before when they are saying goodbye.
"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
Though, there is another gem in this chapter.
"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.
"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox. "They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls. So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards. But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all."
Rites and rituals are indeed too often neglected.
And I can understand why.
Think about one of your favourite music groups. You probably love the lead singer, and you know very well the lead guitarist. But what about the bass player or the drummer? Most of the time they are not as cool as the others. Yet, they are essential to the sound you love so much. They are the ones setting the rhythm and the groove on which the magic of the other instruments can happen.
In the same way, rite and rituals may look dull. Where's the excitement and the creativity in doing the same thing every day?
Though, rituals set the groove of our lives.
My daily rituals help me anchor the days to what really matters to me. They make me feel grounded, and they give me the energy to creatively face any challenge that comes in my way.
What are your rituals?