One of life's little joys

The Warm shower.
Life has many special little gifts, some you don't really think about. Maybe you should take a minute though and appreciate the joy that is a hot shower. Turning the water on and letting the heat scream all over your body, instantly warming you awake from a night's sleep. The water engulfs you like a liquid blanket, relaxing you while preparing you for the day. But if you are not careful, the hot water could give you temporary amnesia, making you forget about work and wanting to stay in the water all day. The water has Dido-like powers, making you want to forget your day's fate just as the doomed Carthaginian Queen tempted Aeneas to forget his quest for seven years.
The water also has a masseuse-like ability to relieve the monkey's fist that inhabited your neck from working out. You enter the shower, looking to cool off and turn on the cold water, but eventually you buckle down and flip the knob to the hot water and slowly let the water and its accompanying steam melt your stress away in a matter of minutes.
But once you finally decide to turn off the hot water's Siren songs, you quickly look for a warm towel or plush bathrobe, and while it is good to be clean, the towel is a substitute and you miss your friend the hot, wet water. Maybe you even make plans to shower again soon.
Once a month you get your water bill and you stare at the charges incredulously. I spent HOW MUCH on water? But then you think back to the minutes of pleasure that each shower provided and you don't seem to mind writing the check. The bill has become the family uncle that sometimes grates your nerves, but you would never do without.
The hot shower is something that gets me going, but also relaxes me. It is a place to think about the past, present and the future. A sanctuary, a fortress of solitude.....unless you invite someone else in. Then a shower can get REALLY good...