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!!!