Why Take A Shower?

Why should I take a shower every day? It's a nasty habit and comes around too fast.

My dad told me they used to take a bath once a week and that was good enough. But I think it was the Depression and the whole town had to share a big horse tank or something. Or maybe there wasn't enough water to go around. I don't remember him saying why they did it that way. I know he always associated one day with "bath day."

But now everyday's "bath day," which is tedious. And washing your hair day. My scalp feels itchy and gnarly until I get it done. Plus it helps put everything in place that gets bejaggled around on your pillow at night.

I have a recording somewhere. The guy's name is something like Dennis Liendl-Rast. Let me Google that real fast. Hmm, it turned out to be David Steindl-Rast, but I obviously had some elements of his name right. Pretty good, huh? On this recording, one thing I remember is a discussion he had about "taking" a shower or bath. The language of "taking" is a very -- what would be the word? -- something like being apart from but agressive toward, like imperialism. It's definitely not an integral type of word. So I get to think about that every time I "take a shower." Ha ha.

We grow up using the words we use and it's tough to change because of every little nuance. But the point I think is a great one. "Taking" is the language of an ego detached. Which is exactly what I am, right or wrong.