Ritual

                  The ritual process. That could mean so many things to so many different people, and maybe even multiple things to one person. Well, what is a ritual? It is something traditionally done in order to accomplish or fulfill something else. Definitions are usually very vague and hard to determine without an example or more detailed words. The ritual process is how you go about this accomplishment or fulfillment. It is the preparation, determination, and duration of whatever is going on; ritually speaking. Most cultures and religions have some sort of "rite of passage" that they choose to partake in, traditionally. This is a heavy example of ritual process. Judaism; when a boy turns thirteen he becomes a man. To celebrate this, the family and friends throw a barmitzvah! Most people just think this is a giant party for friends and family to enjoy and celebrate what their friend or loved one has done; however most think that all they did was live for thirteen years. In reality, there is a lot of preparation and "process" that must be done in order to actually fulfill this event; the party is the celebration of all of that hard work. Boys must learn Hebrew, be completely fluent in reading and writing it. They, also, must complete a series of tests and speakings and readings and appearances among the synagogue and with the Rabbi. A lot of work and planning goes into a Jewish boy's thirteenth birthday. It is definitely not the kind of birthday party that you plan for a few weeks ahead. I have a Jewish male friend that I have grown up with since preschool. When we were in second grade, only seven or maybe eight, he was in the process of testing his fluency in Hebrew. SEVEN YEARS OLD! The only thing I could do at seven was color inside the lines, sing the ABCs, possibly count to one hundred, and a little confident that one plus one equals two. However, this boy, who had been learning and training and living his religion and ritual since almost he could talk, was seven years old and spoke two languages. I could barely write my name in cursive, and he showed me how to write it in Hebrew. These are the wonders of how children learn so quickly, but also how religions will prepare you. This religion gives you a ritual process that you start in so early that it has consumed you by the time you have actually turned thirteen! By thirteen, I was lying on the couch more, eating more, playing outside less, feeling the teenage vibes more; and my friend was living out his spiritual journey right in front of me. His ritual process was over, but only for this portion; he would find another, maybe even seek it out, and do just as well the next time.