As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December’s bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same.
– Donald E. Westlake

To many people holidays are not voyages of discovery, but a ritual of reassurance.
– Philip Andrew Adams

As I enter into what will be my 52nd holiday season, I find myself to be constantly  reminded of the importance of ritual in our lives. Life is not easy; it is inherently chaotic, unpredictable and certainly not completely within our control. By any measure you use, life is inherently unfair.

Human beings have needed to develop rituals to bring some sense of stability in our lives, in an effort to at least try to impose some sense of order.  For example, have you ever tried to do something as simple as changing the order of tasks you do in the morning?  Do it sometime and you will have a very concrete example of the importance of those rituals, and just how important it is that they be done in an exact order.

It isn’t simply because we will forget to brush our teeth and feed our children if we don’t do this morning ritual.  It is really about waking out of the chaotic state of dreams and slumber and facing a stretch of time that is a new day, still formless, often with many challenges and demands.  In short, rituals of all forms and fashions ground us and help strengthen us to go forward each day.

I find, like many people, that the stretch from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day can feel overwhelming.  People report feeling stressed, and I’m among those that complain about the shopping, social events, putting on weight and travel. Yet, interestingly enough and in spite of the public’s perception, suicide rates are lower throughout this time of year, and fewer people access mental health services. This supports the idea that whatever stress this time of year imposes on us, the security and reassurances of these rituals comfort us more than we know.

As the quote above describes, the holidays, and all the rituals they bring, are a reassurance that we can count on some things to help us stabilize our lives, and, perhaps more importantly, give us concrete assurance that we are loved by others.  These rituals of the holiday season, year after year, remind us that we are not alone in this challenging existence, and that because of other people, life is worth the aggravation.

From all of us at Cenpatico to all of you, our consumers, customers and providers, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Sam Donaldson, Ph.D.
President & CEO, Cenpatico LLC

This entry is filed under Blog.