Sunday, June 7, 2009

Rinsing away more than shampoo

Will pick up on the challenge theme again in a day or two …

It's the beginning of National Shampoo Week. It's a massive industry gone wild with three little words: Wash, rinse, repeat.

I think I was in my early 20s before I realized those instructions were the way to get me to buy twice as much shampoo. So I break the shampoo law every day by not obeying "repeat." Saves water and minutes, too, and the length of time the cats stand meowing at the bathroom door to get in.

Some days I wish I could rinse, not that man, but all the truly meaningless woes of the world out of my hair and send all my troubles down the drain … like the jingle goes.

Would I solve all the problems of the universe if I stayed in the shower long enough to repeat the shampoo process, to massage my mind and breathe in more steam heat? Nah, everything would still be quite fuzzy because I can hardly see anything without my glasses.

I honestly can't remember if I've cried in the shower. I have some friends who do because that's their only refuge from the daily challenges of caregiving or the place where they can lament a deep pain or grieve a loss in private …

And there are some of those individuals with Alzheimer's who suddenly fear the way the water seems to batter them … Their brains can no longer understand the soothing sensation and purpose of the spray …

As the rains from the heavens cleanse the world and soak deep within the soil to nourish life on this planet, the shower can do the same on a smaller scale with each of us, inside and out, clearing the film of loneliness, despair and sorrow from our vision and heart. You've just got to let it in.

Repeatedly treat yourself and forget the second round of shampoo …

P.S. And if you're not using a shower head that reduces the water flow, then get one! Be responsibly selfish!

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