I will begin by confessing that I do not have one- a routine that is. But luckily I live among people who have one. My husband's grandmother who lives with us has a self-designed routine that is helping her manage the inevitable companions of old age- immobility and the consequential loneliness. Her days are measured out in a sequence of events- morning bath, followed by an hour dosing on her comfy chair, then an hour of prayers, breakfast, some TV watching and then her morning nap. She is so particular that she will sit on her chair post lunch till the clock strikes three. These small events help her to go through a sixteen hour waking cycle bit by manageable bit. If she did not have the routine, the thought of sitting in that same room, day in and day out, would just weigh down on her. Now her day is measured in smaller chunks and hence more comforting.
The other person who brings her routine into my house is my domestic worker. A single mother, she begins her day at 7 am and must get back home by 8 pm to be with her four year old daughter. When with me she has her task cut out and she knows that unless she follows a routine it is very easy for things to pile up and work to get effected. So the sequence of events helps keep the rhythm going. The part of her day that has started to bring a sense of familiar comfort to me is the evening prayer she does for granny on her way out. Her high-pitched nasal singing rings through the house every evening around 6:45 pm. Wherever we are in the house and whatever we maybe doing, we all know it is time for the evening chores to start and another day has gone by mostly peacefully. And most of all we know that granny is happy.
Today's world is a maddening place. Even for a stay at home mom like me who has no social life to speak of, you will be amazed at what googlies a day can throw up. It can range from a fire in my kitchen (it has happened I swear!) to a simple water shortage just when guests show up. And if it was not for the rhythm of the people around me and their subtle routines I would have nothing familiar, nothing comforting to hold on to. By being predictable, routine helps create some semblance of control and familiarity. And we could all do with more of that, right?
So go get a routine and if like me you do not have one because you are just not organised enough, beg, borrow or steal one :) You will live happier I promise.
The other person who brings her routine into my house is my domestic worker. A single mother, she begins her day at 7 am and must get back home by 8 pm to be with her four year old daughter. When with me she has her task cut out and she knows that unless she follows a routine it is very easy for things to pile up and work to get effected. So the sequence of events helps keep the rhythm going. The part of her day that has started to bring a sense of familiar comfort to me is the evening prayer she does for granny on her way out. Her high-pitched nasal singing rings through the house every evening around 6:45 pm. Wherever we are in the house and whatever we maybe doing, we all know it is time for the evening chores to start and another day has gone by mostly peacefully. And most of all we know that granny is happy.
Today's world is a maddening place. Even for a stay at home mom like me who has no social life to speak of, you will be amazed at what googlies a day can throw up. It can range from a fire in my kitchen (it has happened I swear!) to a simple water shortage just when guests show up. And if it was not for the rhythm of the people around me and their subtle routines I would have nothing familiar, nothing comforting to hold on to. By being predictable, routine helps create some semblance of control and familiarity. And we could all do with more of that, right?
So go get a routine and if like me you do not have one because you are just not organised enough, beg, borrow or steal one :) You will live happier I promise.
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