A Chatty Dishwasher

My family has a dishwasher. That would be me. At least on the weekends, I'm responsible for washing and putting the dishes away. Now dishwashing is not the most exciting task in the world. This is especially true when you're doing it after midnight, which my hectic schedule sometimes forces me to do. So I make a habit of talking to people while I wash. I'll talk to a family member, call up a friend, or just spend some quiet time alone with God. This ritual gives me a good opportunity to slow down a little and build relationships with those I care about the most.

For me, that's the power of rituals. They are special things people do to maintain something they don't want to lose. Positive rituals remind us to make time for things that are easy to forget about, but terrible to lose. Such things as prayer, daily Bible study, and calling your parents are all positive rituals. Even engaging and reflecting on other people's opinions as you are doing now can be a positive step toward a habit of learning. But now I'm philosophizing, and I need to do the dishes. At least the fun of talking to people almost makes up for having to do them in the first place. . . . Almost.