Our lives are changing, again, and so must our rituals that give it meaning

As we emerge into a world that starts to feel a little more "normal," will we return to our old rituals or are there new ways in which we'll experience community, connection, structure and cohesion?

If you're like many people, the early days of the pandemic, and the grief contained in them, likely left you feeling adrift. When I say "grief," I don't only mean the devastating loss of life. It's natural to mourn lost opportunities and celebrations, too. Almost as soon as we watched some beloved rituals disappear, humans began to do what we do best. We improvised. We got creative. We grew. And soon, whole new rituals were born, from those that rely on technology — Zoom cocktail hour, anyone? — to others, like peaceful walks in the woods, that depend on nature.