Today’s gratitude goes to the wonders of a shower. I love a good bath. I enjoy soaking in hot water with a bath bomb and a book on tape. Heaven. But most days, I’m content with a normal in and out shower—ten minutes at most—and then on with my day.
But here’s the surprise secret. Something about that shower always kicks my imagination into gear. Doesn’t matter what I’m writing, if I’m stuck—I take a shower. The answer will burst into my brain before I’m done. Once I was so stuck, that I cursed out my computer and went for a hot shower. The answer came halfway through and, it was so complicated, I had to get out and start typing immediately. I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around myself, and rushed to my computer. Because I was still dripping wet, I didn’t even sit down. Eventually (naturally) the towel came off. Didn’t matter. I was typing, typing, typing. Then…
Did I mention that this was late in the afternoon?
Picture me with wet hair, standing naked at my computer, typing like a mad woman…and my husband comes home. (The kids were in college.) He sidles up to me with a happy expression.
“My, my! What a lovely sight—”
“What are you doing? I’m writing!”
“But…you’re naked.”
“I’m all wet!”
(Not the thing to say to a turned on man. My husband stood there confused.)
“I’m writing”
“Um…okay. I’m hearing that you’re…busy?”
By that point, the flow of the work was gone. Too much distraction. I finished the paragraph and turned to see him still looking at me very confused. That’s when I pulled up the towel and headed off to dry my hair.
“So…still busy?” he asked.
My poor husband has a hard life married to a writer. How about you? When does the muse come to you?
Our poor husbands. I am sure most of them feel they can’t win more times than we or they would like to admit. You really can’t blame him for getting the idea and being disappointed. Next rime you take a shower, you’ll have to invite him to join you.
Good idea!