Your appointment with Friday

Welcome to this weeks photo prompt with special guest Kara Haupt!!!  The photo prompt she chose for today is.....

Rituals.

This being my first year of college and the first time being so far away from the home I grew up in, it's been oddly hard to reflect on the last five months. Everything is so fast paced and always so busy that trying to "find my center" has been difficuilt. I wanted to do a prompt that was a little more abstract and the first thing that popped into my head was "ritual". I thought about the little rituals that have become my daily habits since starting school. I began to brew my own coffee every morning and with my morning cup I would check my emails and see what was new on my favorite blogs and on Twitter. I also starting wearing socks to bed because my dorm room is so cold. They're simple things. Nothing really of much note. But, they have become symbolic, calming habits.

The simple act of pouring in the grounds and the mixing in creamer calms me. It's dumb, but it's a little reminder that I'm taking care of myself. I make my own coffee. I get out of bed on my own and I chose to wake up and take care of myself that day. I never used to wear socks to bed, it's an odd habit I picked up since moving. My socks are always mismatched because I'm too lazy to fold them together. I like them that way though. The silliness of them remind me of home. My mom always buys me these dorky seasonal socks and pulling out a clean pair of socks before bed always makes me smile. Reminds me where I come from, who loves me, and that, sometimes, having warm toes at night is all that really matters.

My photos aren't especially artistic. They're simple photos of simple things. Simple things that matter.

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And here's Gloria's take.....

My ritual started when I was about 12. I used to go into my mom's room every morning around 8 a.m. I loved watching her take the curlers out of her hair. Next she would clean her face and apply cream. Then she would look at me and smile as I sat on her counter looking longingly at her. I loved what followed. My mom never went anywhere without her hair done and her makeup. Ok so next comes her eyelashes. Yes, my mom has worn eyelashes for as long as I can remember. They look so cool on her. In about ten minutes she went from normal to glam. An entire makeup ritual one could not wait to recreate. I don't wear lashes but I get up, wash my face and do my makeup in the same order my mom did. I see myself.....12 years old with my mom as often as I do it. I wonder if my daughter will do the same? I am not sure, but I can honestly say that I hope to have my makeup ritual until I am 90.....

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And my ritual.....



I think it is in my nature to be rebellious to the idea of monotony when it comes to the little things.  Most of the time it gives me anxiety.....knowing what's coming.  However, I am finding that there are things in my life that constantly give me happiness and peace.  I have been trying to embrace these ideas as a form of daily comfort, and it's been nice.  Something that I have always enjoyed, but only in the last few months has become a "ritual" is waking up in the morning with a big stretch and squeek (yes, I squeek when I stretch), and turning on music.  It literally gets me out of bed.....makes me excited for my day.....and helps me start out my day in a very relaxing way.  I really love songs that are soothing and inspiring all at the same time for this.  And the butterfly CD in my photo is Fantasies by "Metric".

I think the idea of this ritual all started from my childhood.  I've always enjoying listening to music with my Dad, and I've always enjoyed listening to music in the morning.  My Dad had a sound system with speakers in all the rooms downstairs installed in our house at one point, and would sometimes wake us up over the weekend by blasting fun music.  Without even making this connection, it became a ritual that I now look forward to helping me start out my day.  Doing this for myself has been a joy!

What ritual(s) brighten your day?

Love, Gloria, Carrie and Kara