We are all creatures of habit, finding comfort and nostalgia in repeating the same actions that give us some semblance of peace. I think the best example of this is the Morning Routine. When given a morning without obligations, most of us fall into the same small motions and rituals that we first found years ago.
As I'm writing this, I'm drinking coffee and eating a pastry. This is my routine - reading or writing with a cappuccino in my hands and something sweet in front of me. I fell into it the same time I really started drinking coffee, while studying abroad in Rome 7 years ago. If I can stretch the morning for hours, I will. (Did you know that a cappuccino stays warm much longer than a regular cup of coffee? The foam provides insulation.) Then, once I reach the point that my body is begging for something more substantial than a little slice of coffee cake or a scone, I sit down and make myself a big breakfast, one that's enough to cover me for lunch.
I can't tell you how much happiness this brings me. There is something so special about mornings in general, and most people lose them during the week. I will sometimes get up early to repeat my routine on the weekdays, but it doesn't generate the same feelings when it's dark outside and there's a stressful day of work looming.
My girlfriend has her own routine. If it's before noon, she watches the local news (not the 24 hour political pundits, but the morning shows with sunny coffee logos and stories of cats being saved by firemen) or the food network. My roommate craves something quite opposite - he watches full length movies or TV shows, always drama or action. There's rarely any deviation, because it's not about the content as much as it is about the atmosphere.
I guess the bottom line for the morning routine is that everyone is trying to place themselves in a painting, one that fits their idea of a perfect morning. There's that crucial time of anticipation, when the coffee is dripping, the bacon is sizzling, the table is almost clear, the TV show is being flipped to the right channel, the perfect book is being chosen, your wife is looking for the parts of the newspaper you read; these are the moments in life that separate our messy, stressful lives and the pursuit of perfection.
We would be hard pressed to find many things more human than this, so pick up a cup and enjoy.
