When exactly does a "habit" become a "ritual?" In my vernacular, a ritual is not one person making coffee every morning and having ice cream before bed. Nor is a cookie recipe a ritual... that, in my world, is a family tradition.

Habits and traditions are definitely significant in our lives. Rituals, however, gather power through shared cultural expression and repetition from one generation to the next.. Every public wedding, for instance, is a ritualistic endorsement of a couple's love and commitment to each other. The marital bond gains additional strength from the witness of family and community. Rites of passage, blowing out birthday cake candles, meatless Fridays... those are rituals.

Sorry to get all semantic on you. Just sayin'. Peace.