Energetic yet calming, shapeless yet concrete, inanimate yet lively, water is a dynamic substance with many uses, most importantly for the sustenance of life. This may be true, but water exists as an essential in my life for reasons that others may find negligible in their daily routine, as a fundamental component of my daily shower.

In a dazed stumble towards the bathroom, still in a lethargic semi-unconscious state, I feel for the shower handle, I turn the handle to the left and adjust it to the perfect temperature for I have perfected this unsung art form. The sound of rushing water invigorates me, the first drops are bitterly cold but quickly become warm to the touch and soon warm steam fills the room and moistens my skin. I step in, the water cascading down, my body absorbing the warmth like a sponge, for some reason, this is such a satisfying sensation. For those few minutes in my day, my mind is completely clear, a sort of liberation that no other activity can quite compare to, a hiatus in my otherwise busy life. Just like the water that fills it, the shower is a diverse place. It is a place of thinking and contemplation, a personal stage for my very own singing performances, and of course its designed use, a place where I can be refreshed.

Reluctantly, after my average 20 minute shower, I am forced to step out, either as a result of time constraints in the morning or responding to my mother’s complaints about the water bill.
I emerge from the bathroom a new man, revived, refreshed, rejuvenated, all the while humming the song “I Feel Good” by James Brown ready to take on the day.