Making the Halloween postcards was fun, and seventeen Halloween postcards went out from Carondelet Court, along with a couple of Halloween envelopes. November ushered in a pause in postcards and a need to write more actual letters.
Sitting down to write a letter creates a different atmosphere from a phone call, text, or email. Often, I'm writing letters in my head about what is going in the world and in the home, what I'm thinking about and what I'm reading. Then, when sitting down to actually write a letter those mental conversations evaporate--suddenly my mind is a blank.
Yesterday, my first line on a letter commented about the date, Friday the 13th, which made me think about superstitions, rituals, amulets, and talismans. I'm not superstitious, but am curious about them and actually practice a few: "Bless you" after someone sneezes, crossing my fingers, etc. Doesn't matter if you have any faith in them, some are just comforting and courteous. Sports figures often have some funny or complicated rituals for good luck.
My first cup of coffee each morning doesn't count as a ritual, although it is a daily practice. It is a habit, rather than what constitutes a ritual in my mind, because it doesn't have a particular purpose. If I sat in silence and thought about something, perhaps prepared mentally for the day, then it might become less of a habit and more of a ritual. But no, the coffee accompanies daily tasks and digressions like checking to see if the cats have eaten last night's food or sitting at the computer and pushing cats from my lap if they won't play nice.
Maybe I'll make an effort to change some of my habits and create rituals instead, lending importance to simple things.
Reading about the rituals that writers, artists, dancers, and sports figures intrigues me. How do you feel about superstitions? Do you have any? Or any rituals that you practice?
Time seems to be standing still and yet moving too fast.
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Books/Reading
Some of the books I've enjoyed lately: The Preserve by Ariel S. Winter, Their Frozen Graves by Ruhi Choudhary, Gone Too Far by Debra Webb, Children of the Valley by Castle Freeman, and The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel. I mentioned News of the World by Paulette Jiles last week (loved!).
What have you read lately?
Hello...I surely agree with you about how time is going by. I have to think about what day it is before I fully wake up. It never feels like a certain day anymore. I like a cup of tea or coffee before sitting at my work table in the studio. I feel like it's helping me to get to work, but it's probably a bit of procrastination!
ReplyDeleteStrange how fast this year has gone by while seeming to last forever. Right, determining whether it is Tuesday or Wednesday often takes some serious thought as days blend together!
DeleteCoffee feels cracking open a package of cookies, without the calorie guilt.
ReplyDeleteSuperstitions, not so much maybe as compulsive behavior. :) Silly habit, forget why it started...I won't leave 4 ice cubes in a row in the ice cube tray. I add one from the other side, or toss the 4th in the sink. Makes me laugh.
A curious obsession with the ice cubes! It is interesting to see what makes one uncomfortable and what methods we use to resolve the matter. :)
DeleteRituals? No, I don't think so. Lots of habits!
ReplyDeleteOne book I've enjoyed of late: Reynard The Fox, a retelling by Anne Louise Avery of the fifteenth century Roman de Reynard. Indescribably gorgeous!
:) Lots of habits here, too. The cover of Reynard the Fox is wonderful, and I assume the language is, too. There are more retellings of the sly characters than I would have thought! I've only read the story in books of fables. Alain Vaes has another one with an intriguing cover. I'm in a dilemma, I want both books, but they are expensive. Fables, myths, and retellings generally attract me, so this one goes on my Christmas list which will be duly reported to my husband.
ReplyDelete