Ritual.

“A daily ritual is a way of saying I’m voting for myself, I’m taking care of myself.” – Mariel Hemingway

I’m a strong advocate of rituals. I believe mundane tasks can become sacred if we deem them as such. By doing so, it illuminates how repetitive moments make our connections – with the world and with each other – more meaningful.     

My favorite ritual doesn’t involve meditation, candles, or yoga – it’s found in the simplicity of a weekly coffee date.

Every Friday morning, Todd and I go to our local café. I say “our” because we’ve made this a go-to spot since summer. It almost feels like a second home.

On the drive over, we chat about our plans for the weekend. We speak in hushed tones to fit the morning’s quiet mood. Our voices, and light conversation, set the energy as the sun’s rays begin to greet us. We park the car close by and walk over, hand-in-hand. As we approach the café’s doorway, I get my usual rush of excitement. Upon entering, we’re instantly embraced with a familiar blended aroma of ground coffee and vanilla. There’s unspoken warmth in this gentle greeting, especially as we trudge in with cold air tracing behind our steps. While my senses delight in this smell, my ears are simultaneously serenaded with music. This morning, it’s my favorite acoustic playlist. During one song, the sound is beautifully enticing; it’s almost as if the artist’s fingers are actively making love to his guitar strings – note by note.

Happiness. This is it.  

My order is always the same: a small maple latte with almond milk. We greet the cashier with a friendly, “Hi! How are you?” and she bashfully smiles back. She knows my name and writes my order down on paper. We exchange a few more pleasantries and walk over to their artfully-inspired shelves for browsing. My eyes carefully scan the French chocolate wrappers situated in each section.

Week after week, I take it all in: the subtle chatter of the baristas, the abstract paintings dancing on the walls, and the handmade floral displays centered on each table. As the music continues to stream around us, Todd and I enjoy each other’s quiet presence. It gives us a moment to just “be.”

The barista calls my name and I approach the counter. I give her one last smile and she repeats her usual phrase of, “Have a great day! Enjoy.”

I take my first sip and revel in it. Almond milk? Check.  

Todd waits for me as I finish taste testing. He raises his eyebrow and gives me a look; our code for, is it good? I sigh and smile back. Yes, per usual.

I say a silent goodbye as we walk back into the cold. I pull out my phone to snap a photo of us. For the purpose of “documenting” our ritual, we smile, cup in hand, and take a quick selfie. From there, we make our way back to the car. Our coffee shop ritual acts as an ode to the end of the week, and a sacred welcoming of the upcoming weekend.

While this may not appear special, I’ll circle back to my point: We can make anything we deem as sacred, even mundane tasks, into a ritual. The purpose of a ritual is to restore our inner and outer harmony. If we possess the ability to bring harmony to the mundane, then we evoke the sacredness of everyday life.

That’s the magic of a ritual.