Something Satisfying...

There's something satisfying in a hot shower after a day at work.

Granted, the warmth alone is pleasant, but that's not it. Nor is it the wonderful scent and smooth sensation of Dove body wash; it's not even the soft, fun, girly pink fluffy sponge that I wash with. The fluffy sponge is a nice touch though. It's not even the more ethereal "job-well-done" reward feeling after a hard day. My satisfaction comes from more grody fares.

I love the feeling of looking down at the initial runoff. The water turning gray from dust and dirt I've collected over the day. Running my hands over my limbs and getting an extra layer off and turning the water another fun shade of gray. Patches of thick dust and gravel disappear. This newfound brendle complextion returns to a pasty white. Watching as my hands become clean only to leave the task of cleaning out nails. (Which is a meditative act in itself, especially when done so with a knife.)

I enjoy the feeling of washing the grime out of my hair and brushing some odd collection of grime behind my ears off my skin. Rinse and repeat.

Then, incorporating my manly-tough pink fluffy sponge to retrieve the final layer of scum from my skin, I smile as the suds do their best to hide the gradient of gray beneath their surface. With the last of the bubbles running down the drain I take the simple enjoyment of a warm shower and slowly turn the knob to a colder setting. Cold enough to pull a gasp of air into my lungs, as if the warm air can help with the sudden flux of temperature. This does not last long before I turn the flow off and enjoy the warmth of a towel.

The ritual is complete and I feel clean. But that is not the excuse for the smile on my face. The smile is in the thought that I might get to do it all again, tomorrow.