Things of Winter Beauty and Wonder: Advent Day Three

(Note: In the light of the government decisions to bomb Syrian targets, I wondered whether I should stop doing these daily posts. They seemed trivial. But after much thought, reflecting on my part in the world and my own lack of power, I decided that to post pieces about the good things I am thankful for, and the beauty that exists in the world around me, was one of the ways I can contribute to comfort and support those who read me. There’s a Chinese proverb: better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness. This blog is my candle.)

Being clean.

We take it for granted, the chance to be clean and fresh each day. Most of us start the day with a quick shower, or at the very least, a comprehensive wash. The long hot soak in a tub after a hard day is a huge pleasure. Our first house as a married couple had an unheated bathroom, with a bath but no shower; baths were tricky to negotiate in the depths of winter because there came a point when you had to emerge from the swiftly cooling water into a room that would soon hover only a few degrees above freezing (we lived in the north east. Think Winterfell with pits and ports). We put in a special light bulb that gave off some warmth, but I learned to dread winter. The house we moved to after that had bath, shower AND central heating of sorts, and felt like a massive move up in the world.

I’ve written before of the power of water to wash away more than physical dirt, and being able to step into a shower is a privilege and a pleasure. To smell fresh and clean every morning, to face the day feeling refreshed and ready is a great and often under-rated joy.