Bed Time Ritual

When I was a kid I could not go to sleep without my dad having tucked me in first. I would get in bed after hugging and kissing my family and wait for him to arrive to do the task. I could not fall asleep until it was done and he understood this . So he would swiftly appear and tuck in my sheets and fluff up my pillows. Often times he would tuck in my sheets so tight that I could not move, but that was how I liked. Once he was done he would give me a kiss goodnight an turn off my light, leaving my door just wide enough so I could see a sliver of light from the hall. It was a ritual of many years, one (I must admit) I recently grew out of.
I think back upon it now and I can’t help but wonder its importance. My father tucking me in was not the essential key to my sleeping, it was the mere fact that I had created a world where his tucking me in was the key. It was a ritual that made me feel comfortable, together, safe and at home. While I was growing a and experiencing new things around me in school and my community, this was a ritual that kept me sane and comfortable. I believe that is where rituals do their part. They help one feel as though they are in control, and consequently this makes them more comfortable with life. Now today I have other rituals that make me feel better about life. All of them helping me to feel in control.