SHUTTING THE BATHROOM DOOR

          It’s funny how a habit becomes so ingrained I do it without even thinking. Take closing the bathroom door. I’m here all alone. The dogs are barred from getting into the hall and into the bathroom. The doors are locked. Still, I go into the bathroom and shut the door. Why, other than habit and how long ago did it begin?

          When John and I moved here almost 51 years ago, we had so little stuff, the rooms echoed. Now, of course, you couldn’t get an echo no matter how hard you tried. Back then, we chased each other around the house for one reason or another (sex?). I’m sure the kids playing on the grass next door wondered what those crazy “old” people were doing…having fun we were.

          Back then, we also slept naked, moved about the house without clothes and wandered in and out of the bathroom at will. It was always such fun to flush the toilet when John was sitting on it. Of course, when he did it to me, it wasn't quite as funny. He may have locked the door at times, but it was an easy lock to open. We showered together, got dressed (and undressed) together. It was just the two of us.

          When our first child arrived and became a few years old, we began to practice modesty. No chasing each other around in our birthday suits or having morning, afternoon or evening delight in just any old spot in the house. We still slept naked, but always put on pjs or a robe before leaving our room. Even when our boys would come get in bed with us, they always got in bed on John’s side because he would simply move over and cuddle them up. I cuddled them too, but after a comfort period, I would take my boy back to his bed. That’s also about the time we began shutting the bathroom and bedroom doors.

          Eventually, the boys grew up and left home, but we never resumed the fun-filled ways of our youth. I guess the key word there is youth. When young, comfort wasn’t as important as it becomes with age. A hard floor versus soft pillows and a mattress…the pillows and mattress won every single time.

All these decades later, I’m very happy to have those memories of yore. I’m also so happy to have had the kind of relationship John and I had as we began our occupancy of this house. I treasure the fact I have decades of great memories like the ones mentioned above. They bring me comfort when I feel lonely and wonder about things like why I’m shutting the bathroom door. 

How about you? Do you find yourself doing things simply out of habit? If so, what are those habits? I'm thinking about rebelling and leaving the bathroom and bedroom door open all. the. time!!!