That's lovely. A temporary beautiful habit that didn't become emptied out of meaning. The collage is artwork. Bless the ancestral voices in your heart and thanks for the reminder that all ritual is invented - and valid so long as it holds meaning.
Now you have me wondering about things I do out of habit, rather than reasons that have some kind of logical sense...
And wondering also why we so highly prize logical sense that we use a lack of it to dismiss or downplay an action that has value even though it might not have logical sense--such as a habit that provides a feeling of connection with those no longer with us. I assume that the list of people I miss is only going to grow longer, and I relish anything that helps me remember them or feel their presence in some way. I don't think it matters if there's no more actual reason in a things than there was in chopping off the ends of the pot roast, if it gives me some by-product that has value and does no harm.
Like Caroline, I really like that collage of your images; feels like rivers of time.
'It felt as though my departed kin were waving at me from the far shore of a too-wide river.'
And that is my takeaway from your strangely endearing habit.
Apart from when I need to take note of time for a particular appointment, time means little to me. I don't wear a watch and tend to observe the light and the sky these days - oh, and my tummy if its rumbling, and whether I need some water.
But the Terrier is a Time Master. Time for a walk, time to be fed - but nothing is in numerical terms and is stripped down to elemental things.
Habits? Well yes, I'm very guilty. The need to eat something sweet when I pour a cup of tea. Every time! The need to stitch the minute the evening TV goes on. The habit of touching the doorframe every time I come back from the city to the cottage and saying 'Hello House.' I do the same with the townhouse. And of course the reverse, when I'm leaving - 'Goodbye House'.
And to say to Dad and Mum who are on that far-off shore of a too-wide river - 'I miss you and want you here on our side.' Is that a habit? No. But it could be...
I enjoyed this, Elizabeth, and I laughed as your frequency increased. I know exactly what you mean though about things that seem symbolic or whimsical or magical "losing" that quality when they become "ordinary." I really love that you thought of people at these moments.... that's powerful.
I have this thing where I have to follow each of the hyperlinks in your post, and read EACH of the articles Completely Before I reply to you. This is a very satisfying habit, and I learn so much.
"Do I know why [these habits] are a part of my life?" is such a great question. Word choice, beliefs, reading habits. I love the way you jump from your funny screen-shot obsession to these bigger, totally important life questions. Wow. And then that collage! Talk about zooming out to look at patterns!
11:11 is a special time Busy and I take note of - as it happens to be my birthday.
For me it’s long been the odometer reading in my car. I like when they all line up, but I love it when the numbers form a palindrome, same backward as forward. The very best one ever was when my odometer read 12,345 AND the trip odometer read 67.8. I swear I didn’t plan that! I’m known to drive around the neighbor hood several times to make the perfect palindrome appear when I finally land in my driveway. Working mostly from home and driving far less I don’t focus on the odometer as much but I do hate it when I get involved thinking about something stupid like , oh I don’t know, DRIVING? And I miss a great one by 2 miles. On the other hand, 11:11 is my favorite number and it’s become a touch point for me and my husband. When he’s at work he began texting me with a funny Gif at 11:11 every day. It makes me smile, and know that this one very alive person does think of me at that time every day.
"Just one more. I promise." Made me laugh right out loud! A sweet surprise. Like eating grapes and the last one is sweet!
For a year, I saved Civil War clay marbles. Why? Perhaps the idea that even on battlefield encampments, young soldiers had a moment of amusements... At some point I had to say to myself ,"Enough!" I have since given the mason jar to a young high school history teacher to save or distribute as he sees fit.
Oh gosh, wow, this post is gold dust to me, Elizabeth, THANK YOU. One of my most pervasive OCD compulsions is heavily numbers-related, and I've found your story of Ancestor Time both lovely and really helpful.
"At some point I noticed it didn’t exactly feel magical anymore. The reason for it had been displaced by the routine, and it seemed plausible that my whimsical, wonderful, experiment was tending toward pathological."
Habits really are habit-forming, aren't they?!
In a wonderful coincidence I nearly cut the corner off the huge hunk of the boneless shoulder joint which I'd been trying to wrestle into the slow cooker this morning! I made it fit eventually, but next time I'll lop that end RIGHT OFF! 🤣
Yikes! Now I'm aware of the numbers thing! As I was headed out to yard clean up yesterday, I noted the time was 3:33 and of course, I thought of you! I refrained from taking a photo but really did laugh out loud !
That's lovely. A temporary beautiful habit that didn't become emptied out of meaning. The collage is artwork. Bless the ancestral voices in your heart and thanks for the reminder that all ritual is invented - and valid so long as it holds meaning.
Now you have me wondering about things I do out of habit, rather than reasons that have some kind of logical sense...
And wondering also why we so highly prize logical sense that we use a lack of it to dismiss or downplay an action that has value even though it might not have logical sense--such as a habit that provides a feeling of connection with those no longer with us. I assume that the list of people I miss is only going to grow longer, and I relish anything that helps me remember them or feel their presence in some way. I don't think it matters if there's no more actual reason in a things than there was in chopping off the ends of the pot roast, if it gives me some by-product that has value and does no harm.
Like Caroline, I really like that collage of your images; feels like rivers of time.
I never fail to pause when I see repeated digits on my phone, so I love that you made this journey!
'It felt as though my departed kin were waving at me from the far shore of a too-wide river.'
And that is my takeaway from your strangely endearing habit.
Apart from when I need to take note of time for a particular appointment, time means little to me. I don't wear a watch and tend to observe the light and the sky these days - oh, and my tummy if its rumbling, and whether I need some water.
But the Terrier is a Time Master. Time for a walk, time to be fed - but nothing is in numerical terms and is stripped down to elemental things.
Habits? Well yes, I'm very guilty. The need to eat something sweet when I pour a cup of tea. Every time! The need to stitch the minute the evening TV goes on. The habit of touching the doorframe every time I come back from the city to the cottage and saying 'Hello House.' I do the same with the townhouse. And of course the reverse, when I'm leaving - 'Goodbye House'.
And to say to Dad and Mum who are on that far-off shore of a too-wide river - 'I miss you and want you here on our side.' Is that a habit? No. But it could be...
I enjoyed this, Elizabeth, and I laughed as your frequency increased. I know exactly what you mean though about things that seem symbolic or whimsical or magical "losing" that quality when they become "ordinary." I really love that you thought of people at these moments.... that's powerful.
I have this thing where I have to follow each of the hyperlinks in your post, and read EACH of the articles Completely Before I reply to you. This is a very satisfying habit, and I learn so much.
"Do I know why [these habits] are a part of my life?" is such a great question. Word choice, beliefs, reading habits. I love the way you jump from your funny screen-shot obsession to these bigger, totally important life questions. Wow. And then that collage! Talk about zooming out to look at patterns!
11:11 is a special time Busy and I take note of - as it happens to be my birthday.
For me it’s long been the odometer reading in my car. I like when they all line up, but I love it when the numbers form a palindrome, same backward as forward. The very best one ever was when my odometer read 12,345 AND the trip odometer read 67.8. I swear I didn’t plan that! I’m known to drive around the neighbor hood several times to make the perfect palindrome appear when I finally land in my driveway. Working mostly from home and driving far less I don’t focus on the odometer as much but I do hate it when I get involved thinking about something stupid like , oh I don’t know, DRIVING? And I miss a great one by 2 miles. On the other hand, 11:11 is my favorite number and it’s become a touch point for me and my husband. When he’s at work he began texting me with a funny Gif at 11:11 every day. It makes me smile, and know that this one very alive person does think of me at that time every day.
"Just one more. I promise." Made me laugh right out loud! A sweet surprise. Like eating grapes and the last one is sweet!
For a year, I saved Civil War clay marbles. Why? Perhaps the idea that even on battlefield encampments, young soldiers had a moment of amusements... At some point I had to say to myself ,"Enough!" I have since given the mason jar to a young high school history teacher to save or distribute as he sees fit.
What strange and wonderful creatures we are!
Oh gosh, wow, this post is gold dust to me, Elizabeth, THANK YOU. One of my most pervasive OCD compulsions is heavily numbers-related, and I've found your story of Ancestor Time both lovely and really helpful.
"At some point I noticed it didn’t exactly feel magical anymore. The reason for it had been displaced by the routine, and it seemed plausible that my whimsical, wonderful, experiment was tending toward pathological."
Habits really are habit-forming, aren't they?!
In a wonderful coincidence I nearly cut the corner off the huge hunk of the boneless shoulder joint which I'd been trying to wrestle into the slow cooker this morning! I made it fit eventually, but next time I'll lop that end RIGHT OFF! 🤣
Yikes! Now I'm aware of the numbers thing! As I was headed out to yard clean up yesterday, I noted the time was 3:33 and of course, I thought of you! I refrained from taking a photo but really did laugh out loud !