What's the Point of Ritual, Anyway?

Many times have I seen people asking how are rituals done, what do you do in what order, and so on. I've also heard of a great many new Pagans running out to do them. 
I've never had anyone ask "Why have a ritual in the first place?" People initially seem to be more concerned with what to do than why. Well I think it's an important question to ask, so I'm going to answer it as best I can right now. 

So, why ritual? Why go to all of the trouble to begin with? Why does it seem like so much trouble sometimes? 

When I was just beginning, I would get myself worked up, get halfway through a ritual, and think "Ok.. what now? Do I just stand here, do I walk away, when am I done?" The problem was that I wasn't entirely sure what the point of the ritual was. Of course, I was dragged (somewhat against my will) to catholic church as a child, where everything was dead silence until your lines in the great script that was Sunday Mass came up. It was always the usual stand-up, sit-down, kneel, stand kneel, sit... or as Xetheriel likes to call it, the Catholic workout. It never held any meaning to me. My parents couldn't exactly explain what the meaning of it was. It was just something we did. 
So, when the time came that I decided to test the waters of Wiccan ritual, I was at a loss. There MUST be a reason why I'm standing in my backyard with candles burning and my arms to the sky, and I'm sure it wasn't solely to confuse the neighbours. The funny thing is, I haven't done a ritual since. I'll get to that in a little while. 

One reason to even bother with a ritual in the first place is because life is a celebration. We hold rituals on the Sabbats to celebrate that particular time of year. At Yule we celebrate the rebirth of the Sun. For the Solitary, the ritual for this could be a quiet candle-lighting at sunrise, or it could be a midnight birthday party for one. It's a way of saying" YES! The Sun's back!" 
At Beltane, it's a celebration of life and love. At Lammas it's celebrating the bounty of the harvest. At Samhain it's honouring our ancestors and remembering their lives. These are the obvious reasons for ritual. 

Another reason for ritual is the Esbats, or Full Moons. This need not be a long drawn out ceremony, and in many cases, it takes about 10-20 minutes. It depends on how elaborate you feel you need to be. If you want to spend an hour, spend an hour. This is essentially the time to honour, celebrate and commune with the Goddess. Celebrate life and beauty, use this time to purify yourself, or work Magick. Even if you do nothing but speak to the Goddess, it will more than suffice. Thank the Goddess for all of the things she encompasses. You can call upon any Goddess you like, but most commonly at this time Wiccans will call upon Diana, Selene, Cerridwen, Demeter, and Isis. 

Other than Sabbats and Esbats, Wiccans will perform rituals in addition to working Magick. Ritual is also appropriate for life events, such as initiations, handfastings, and Last Rites, as well as any other life rituals you want to partake in. 

If you want to do a ritual, find yourself a good reason first. Even if it's nothing but invoking the Goddess and God to formally introduce yourself, have it all planned out beforehand, so you're not left standing with nothing to say. 

Now, the format of your ritual is entirely dependent on you. Are you comfortable with what's written in the books? Fine, use that. Don't be afraid to make a few changes here and there. Don't have a certain herb or oil called for? Make a substitution with a plant or oil that carries the same magickal properties. Can't get that? Use Rosemary - it'll do in a pinch. But what if you're not moved by the ceremonial experience? Fine, leave it out. Celebrate in the way that means the most to you. Honestly, ritual, even solitary, makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable. I do traditional things for the Sabbats, and I'll go moon-gazing on Esbats, and that is my way of celebrating. Perhaps on a Full Moon you feel more comfortable going to a hilltop alone and speaking to the Goddess as you would any close friend. As long as you acknowledge the meaning behind the action, I say anything goes (in keeping with the Rede at least). 

You won't be angering any Gods or Goddesses if you choose not to hold a ceremonial ritual every time it is called for. Do whatever speaks to you the most. It is what you feel on the inside that counts more than anything you could be doing physically.