“Quality is not an act; it is a habit.” — Aristotle
We are all creatures of habit. Whether it’s our daily commute or the nightly process of making dinner, doing the dishes, and packing the next day’s lunch, almost any day has a repetitive part. For some, it can feel stifling and boring, while for others, it might be comforting.
One of my other writing gigs is with a website that deals with antiques, collectibles, and vintage items. I often write about many of the bits and bobs of habits most people don’t have anymore. Smoking is way down, but people who collect ashtrays, lighters, and cigarette cases don’t usually smoke; they just like the vintage look of some of the accoutrements.
I don’t smoke, nor do I need lighters around, but there are a few “old school” habits that I will be keeping, even if others think they are unnecessary. I find a certain comfort in some of them, and they add to the quality of my life, so they get to stay. I don’t collect anything that goes with them, but I will still keep these habits because, while it’s hard to describe, they are the routines that never seem to get old.
- Letter writing: Did you know that someone can enjoy the slow process of writing and mailing a letter and yet still be fixated on texts from six friends and four group chats on a cell phone? Just because my screen addiction remains active doesn’t mean I don’t sit down a few times a month and send a letter to a few people I know. So far, Pierce Brosnan has yet to answer any of my letters, but my friends who get them say they enjoy them.
- Drying clothes and linens on a clothesline: Growing up, we had a clothesline because, for a while, my parents couldn’t afford a washer and a dryer at the same time, so the dryer had to wait. We liked how the sheets and towels felt after being on the line, so I’ve kept the habit, but mostly along my fence for towels. We had to do some landscaping, and now that we have more free space in the yard, there will be a real clothesline soon. There is no substitute for the crisp feel and the fresh smell of laundry fresh off the line.
- A paper planner: This is a big one for me. Between my workload and the spotty performance of my laptop lately, my notebook has saved my bacon more than a few times. It’s full of scribbles, lists, sticky notes, and the occasional recipe I pull out of a magazine. There have been brain studies that the act of writing something by hand, with a pen and paper, helps the brain learn better and retain information more efficiently. No matter how many scraps and bits I shove in my notebook, it’s never stopped working. The laptop, on the other hand? That went belly up a few weeks ago because 26,000 emails is a bridge too far for an older machine.
The other habits I have are more like customs or traditions, and yes, they probably make me seem like a true Boomer, but I don’t care; they work for me.
I never put a hat on a table or a bed. It’s supposed to be bad luck, which is a superstition more than anything, but a few nights ago at dinner with someone, I yanked his hat off the table and said, “Jeeez, are you trying to kill us all?” I also hold the door for anyone behind me. All the time, any door, any person, it’s as natural to me as breathing. I even find myself reaching to hold an automatic door. I might look like a huge dork, but I still do it.
Some habits can be tedious and repetitive, but if you have a few that seem outdated to others but bring a little quality time into your life, keep at it. You never know if it will improve someone else’s day.
