I take a shower almost every day. Sometimes, it’s because I really need one, like right after I get home from the gym.

Other times, I shower because I want to … I want to feel the hot water hitting my head and streaming down, down, down, briefly pooling at my feet before circling the drain and disappearing.

I want to stretch my neck from side to side, sometimes gently pulling my head toward my shoulder in hopes of just feeling a little deeper relief.

I want to bend at my waist and feel the warmth tap, tap, tap, tap at my lower back, eyes closed, mind blank. Small, even breaths like a life-affirming meditation.

Or, maybe I’m stuck on something I’m doing or need to better understand what I want to say to the legislator I’m trying to reach or the person who seemed to earnestly ask me what they can do to help, because I take those offers in good faith.

So, I close my eyes and dip my head back, almost as if I believe the water hitting my forehead will somehow organize my thoughts.

I stand under the spray and let the bathroom get steamy, taking deep breaths in and out, replacing the dryness of the season with humidity, even when I know the cloudy mirror and slippery tile are going to frustrate me when I’m finished.

I stay until my fingers prune, until I’m warmed through and I can feel my cheeks flushed, cherry red with heat.

I stay until I’m ready to step out into the world again, refreshed, at the least, if not wholly renewed.

If you feel comfortable, I’d love to hear what you do for self-care.

Do you have self-care practices that feel like rituals?

When was the last time you were intentional about self-care?

The Light Links

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