Habits

A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit.

-Latin Proverb

Habits often appear as very strange idiosyncrasies. I discovered today that I still walk around a spot on the floor that used to be constantly covered in water due to our late dog who was too old to properly close her mouth while drinking.  Rather than walking down the hallway from the kitchen to the bedroom, I weave from one side to the other, to avoid the empty space where the dog bowls were in the kitchen, and to avoid the door that is frequently open in the bathroom.

The dog has been dead for months.  There are no longer bowls on the floor in the kitchen.  The floor is always dry.  And yet I still avoid the spot while walking down that hallway.  What a funny habit.

I have other habits too, but I’m more aware of them. I brush my teeth before breakfast.  I lock the door before bed.  These are just part of the routines I have for morning and night.  I add and take away things from these routines and eventually it becomes habit too.