21
What is the role of ritual in spiritual practice?
BOW TO THE BED
Every morning after I make our bed
I turn in the doorway before leaving
I take stock as I pause and listen
As I peruse this room,
my gaze rests on the fireplace he refashioned
to match this perfect bed he built for us
the table he made in shop class
the art he painted along the way
It is our sanctuary, our tiny place on the planet
To be still, safe, and quiet, together
To dream, to plan, to whisper secrets, to remember
He is in every nail, every brushstroke, each crease on his pillow
I picture one of us laying there someday
Facing the rest of our journey alone
I close my eyes, clasp my hands, and bow deeply
In thanks for this room, this life, this marriage
This man
It is the simplest of rituals: a bow
Yet this small act gives shape to the invisible
And reminds me something sacred is always close by
Even ordinary moments can be holy.