Monday Inspiration: A Hot Bath Cures Many Things
Monday, February 3, 2014
“I am sure there are things that can't be cured by a good bath but I can't think of one.” Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar.
I think this is quite right. With the polar vortex still nipping at my ankles, a hot bath becomes more and more appealing as the daylight slowly changes to purple. Not only is it warming, but it provides an opportunity to meditate and focus on every hint of a feeling. Baths soothe both the body and soul in every detail of the process.
The steam rising from the water as the first splash hits the tub is a welcome exchange for the smoke escaping my nose just minutes ago. Your foot constricts into what feels like a tiny ball of molecules when you first touch the water. The extremes are too great - you must withdraw and gradually acclimate to the temperature. However, this is comforting because you know that in a few minutes the blood in your feet will expand and absorb the warmth, drowning what was frigid and penetrating deep into your bones. Let the water cover your face, causing mascara to flow down your face alla Alice Cooper. Saturate every pore, transferring the hear from the water into your skin. When you are done, let the water slowly drip away, with every millimeter the water drops reminding you of warmer times.
Once you step out of the bath, slather the body is a moisturizer to combat the dryness in the air. It's like slipping on a second skin - a new, warmer layer of skin. Cozy up in a slip or sweater with thighs and cuddle under a blanket. Winter may be especially tough this year, but a bath cures the ailment, restoring life into once brittle limbs.
