Ritual is the way you carry the presence of the sacred.
- Christina Baldwin

Rituals ensure that we pay close attention to what’s happening. As Joseph Campbell put it, rites and commemorations “link us to the larger structure”—life beyond what we see. Between gift registries, cocktails, and daily calendars, a small ritual anchors us to the bigness of our lives unfolding.

IDEAS for SIMPLE RITUALS and CELEBRATION-MARKERS:
For Grown-ups:

• For a friend’s birthday: Write a letter to your friend’s child… about your friend (and let your friend read it, of course). “Dear Junior, I’ve known your mom forever and let me tell why she’s so amazing…”
• Daily love notes: Keep a spiral notebook and pen in the bathroom or kitchen to communicate back ‘n’ forth with your partner. For everything from “Babe, I’ll return the rented DVD,” and “Thanks for the hot night,” to “What I love most about you today is…,” this is an easy way to regularly acknowledge each other.
• Wish beads: For a baby shower, have each guest bring two beads or charms to string into a strand of wishes. As the beads are strung on, a wish is recited (and recorded, if you want) for the baby and the mama. (This can also be done for couples getting married. One wish bead for the bride and one for the groom. Feel free to mix this wish bead ritual with stagette cocktails.)

For Kids & Babies:

• Time-lapse photography: Take a picture of your kid in the same place (like on the porch or by the fireplace) every year on their birthday or on the first day of school.
• On The Day: When a baby is born, buy the daily papers and magazines at the newsstand on their birthday. Seal them in a big plastic folder or gift box for safe keeping.

Whether you’re blowing out birthday candles or chanting scripture, a little ritual done with joy imprints your cells with the loveliness of the moment. So when the moment passes, you can still feel how very big life is.