From Kaitlin Torgerson, Earth Ministry Outreach Coordinator
As we push into week two of Lent, I’m realizing that I’ve got it pretty easy in comparison to the rest of the staff. I’m not lusting over ice cream or scurrying out the door to catch the bus in the morning. In fact, I have more time in the morning since my shower time is probably a quarter of what it once was. Instead, I’m just giving up a few of my simple pleasures in life, which honestly is something I haven’t been happy about. Believe me, I’ll get over it, but I’ve been surprised as to my crankiness, especially in the morning. Let me explain and preface this by saying I am NOT a morning person.
My morning routine previously consisted of crawling sleepily out of my bed after convincing myself that a hot shower would indeed feel just as good as my cozy bed. I would step into the shower where I would spend at least the next fifteen minutes. I knew I didn’t NEED that long to shower. I just WANTED that long to shower. It was my time to focus and think about the day, meanwhile washing away the sleepiness from my mind.
Now here’s my current situation: My alarm goes off, and I convince myself that even though my bed is warm, I NEED to wash my dirty hair. I grumble under my breath, but get in the shower running the water only to get wet and to rinse off again. In my opinion, it’s taken all the fun out of it, and I feel like I’m six again when my parents had to convince me to bathe. I leave the shower chilled, still sleepy, and not empowered to welcome the new day.
I need to find a new way to meditate and prepare for the day—something that doesn’t use at least 20 gallons of water. Perhaps now I can take those extra ten showering minutes to peruse the paper that stacks up on my table only to be recycled at the end of the week unread. Or maybe I can take that time to read my daily devotions that get opened up to on a biweekly basis. These would both be good changes and as much as I don’t want to admit it, they are probably more constructive and certainly less wasteful.
2 comments:
Good for you, Kaitlin. I hope you find another way to embrace the day and are able to keep up your reduction in water use once Lent is over. Showers are one of my favorites too and I'm working on it.
Maybe you could try going for a run. You'd get time and space to think and you'd wake your body up. And then you'd really need the shower but could still keep it short knowing you made the most of it!
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