The one thing I had always wanted was a big French tub. One that I could soak in for hours on end. I’d light a candle, turn on some music, read a book and maybe even indulge in a glass of wine. Ah, livin’ the dream!
When we were looking at houses there were two things I needed: A fireplace and a large French tub. My husband agreed about the fireplace but didn’t think the French tub was a necessity, “Will you actually ever use it?”
He was right. We’d had a tub at our old house and I don’t think I used it to take a bath once. Not once. “Of course I’ll use it! I’ll use it all the time!” I plead my case and he knew there was no point in trying to convince me otherwise. This was a battle he’d already lost. We got the tub.
We settled on our new home in December and officially moved in February. My big, beautiful, tub was adorned with candles, bath bombs and salts, bubble bath, a book, a glass for wine, my favorite books and magazines…. everything I’d dreamed of. Everything I’d dreamed of was in that tub except, of course, me.
I’d stare at the tub every morning when I took a shower and every night when I’d get ready for bed. I’d think to myself how lovely it would be to have the time to soak my stress away. Immediately after, I’d find myself recounting all the things that took precedence over taking a bath: Work, laundry, cooking, cleaning, groceries… existing.
The global pandemic that is COVID19 has brought with it a whole slew of new stresses. Stresses I can’t even begin to express in words. It has given me one unexpected gift: Time. This morning we woke up, made a big brunch, watched a Bollywood flick (Mohabbatein, for those wondering) and I took a bath.
I filled the tub, lit a candle, turned on my music, grabbed my favorite magazine and soaked and soaked and soaked. I sat in the water til my toes and fingers pruned. I sat til the water got cold. I sat in that tub, laundry be damned… Everything that I should have been doing, everything that I could have been doing, was put on hold. And it was glorious.
Today, I took a bath.
What did you do?
Reemskii 