There’s something great about the freedom you have in the shower. For me, the shower is an escape. It’s the place where you get a free pass to ignore pretty much anything. Whether that’s your phone, a bad day, disappointment, or an overload of homework, the stress seems to vanish. It’s almost as if the day just washes away -- not just physically, but emotionally too.
There’s no judgment here. Tears and water are one in the same. You are free to let go and have your emotions take over just for a little while. I find this to be a rejuvenating experience in itself. Letting go of negative emotion is possibly the best way to become stronger.
As soon as that hot water turns on and steam starts to rise, I am cleansed of all that is troubling in my life. Tilting my head back and letting droplets of water run down my face for minutes, sometimes it seems like hours. No one can bother me here. No one can take away the tranquility I am feeling.
Being in college is a lot of work. School comes with homework, tests, and endless essays. Sometimes you just need to take the time to relax and escape. Something as simple as a shower can bring a comforting sense of solitude. Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with avoiding life for a little and taking a break.
Sometimes I sit there motionless with my eyes closed until my skin turns red. The searing water turns me into a lobster, but I am happy as a clam. I think about all the responsibility awaiting me, yet I don’t care. This is a time for me, a time for real thinking.
I think I come up with some of my most brilliant ideas in the shower. As a kid, I would make up fully narrated fiction stories whenever I took a shower. I never wrote them down, but creativity seemed to sprout as soon as the water turned on. It’s an outlet for me; a place of free expression. Sometimes, though, it’s a place to simply contemplate and sort out obstacles in my life.
Or on a Friday night, it becomes the pre-party dance spot. Rap music and Rihanna blaring while little shaving or shampooing gets done. Everyone thinks they sing better in the shower, but for me, it’s my dance skills that become top notch. Moving my hips to the music, singing like no one’s listening, I let go and become free for the night.
Everyone has a place where they feel free. A place where they feel safe enough to forget their struggles and let go. For me, that place is the shower. It really doesn’t matter what or where that place is for you, as long as you have one. A place where you can come to and cleanse away the negativity. A place you can express yourself and not be afraid to be free: a safe place.
