Music somehow sounds closer to me if I am the one removing the album from its jacket, cleaning the disc, placing the needle in the groove. In that ritual, there's a connection established, one not so easily made for the more detached listener.
The same can be said for cooking or shopping. You feel connected when you're invested in the process. Just think about how much better your system sounds after a cleaning or the addition of some personal tweaks.
We think of connection acts as rituals, a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. But there's a deeper meaning to ritual than simply repeating patterns. The act of engagement strengthens our connection to the world around us.
In these odd times of distancing, sticking to a ritual or establishing new ones can be really helpful. Maybe it's the nightly check in phone call, where before that wasn't needed. Or a once-weekly scheduled video chat.
It may be different, but establishing new rituals helps keep us connected at a time when connection is more important than ever.
