from “ask polly: why should i keep going?”
list of mundane things that feel like ancient human rituals
- cleaning or wipe your bare feet
- breaking off a piece of bread and handing it to someone
- putting the weight of a basket on your hip or head
- eating nuts or berries while hunched over close to the ground
- seeing something startling just out of your line of sight and very quickly stepping or leaping on to a larger object to get a better view
- cupping your hands into running water to wash your face
- the unanimous protection of a baby or child in a public space where women are present
- when an elderly woman laughs and grips your forearm tightly
May I add?
- Touching someone’s face with the back of your hand to see if they have a fever
- Stopping to watch animals moving in groups (geese, fish, horses, butterflies, bees)
- Helping an elderly person to walk or sit
- telling stories around a fire
- huddling together for warmth when it’s cold
- marveling at sunlight through leaves
- wonderment at the brightness of a full moon
- bringing food to sick or grieving families