Almost every day I following the same morning ritual of rising at a particular time followed by a standard breakfast of toast and two cups of hot water. Later in the morning around nine o'clock I am on my recumbent bike in our sun room, for an hour of moderate exercise. I have a panoramic view through the many windows of the street past our home. The view gives me an observation post regarding the activities of my neighbors. Just as I am into a routine, I notice that several of my neighbors are faithful with their morning exercise.
My view gives me a window on ritual practices by my neighbors. I can almost set my watch by one lady who enhances her walk by swinging the weights she has in each hand. She walks clockwise around our block. Another neighbor in his walk rotates the block in the opposite direction. While this is going on eventually I see the neighbor in the residence across the street raise his garage door for an apparent ritual morning excursion. Obviously, we humans, often become ritualistic creatures of habit.
Beyond these morning rituals I have observed there are the dog walkers. One woman walks her dog multiple times around the block until he becomes tired and then she continues solo for a few more turns. Another gentleman has a very senior dog! Their pace is painfully slow. I am not sure how long their ritual dog walk will last, but I will be watching what happens.
Probably many people observe me and notice my rituals. I am alright with that. Thank God that with my advanced years I am both comfortable with my rituals of daily life and occasionally willing to break out of the routine if necessary. Visitations by family and to family have a way of changing my rituals. I tolerate that for a time but I am happy to return to my order of the day. I am not one to continually live in chaos. Perhaps that comes from a German ancestry that adheres to the statement: Alles ist in Ordnung.
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