My Mom is a middle school teacher, and last Thursday was her last day before summer break. So, when I was home last weekend, she was winding down from a crazy couple of weeks between making bridal bouquets and DD-ing for me and Dan after a fun wedding.
I was folding laundry Friday afternoon when I heard, “Woohoo! Gooooodbye lunch bag!” followed by a thud as it hit the bottom of the trash can. “Old lunch bag?” I asked, slightly confused. “Sorta. I treat myself to new one at the start of each year and throw that thing away at the end of the year!” she explained with a grin on her face. I laughed and said, “That’s a good way to end the year.” and then went back to folding laundry.
But my Mom’s lunch bag ritual got me thinking: We all have these simple, feel good rituals that may not mean anything to anyone else, but to us, they symbolize completion, love, success, triumph. A crisp beer at the beer tent after finishing another race. Rereading Wurthering Heights every year to bring back childhood memories. Cooking together on your anniversary. A family hike on Thanksgiving. Fresh-cut flowers at the end of each week. They’re simple things that are comforting and symbolic.
Do you have any simple rituals? How about a simple family ritual?
(Photo by Danielle Nelson.)
Haha, good for your mom! My family was really into ice cream sandwiches when I was a kid and we’d have them for dessert on weekends. Now, whenever I eat one, I think of my childhood.