Morning Cleanse

It was the time of the day he cherished the most, but also the time he feared. Just standing there, letting the warm water pour over his shoulders - beating the grogginess out of his muscles, forcing the haze out from between his ears.

Each morning it was always the same routine. His alarm would startle him awake. Ripping him from a dream - pulling him away from a distant place and throwing him back into reality. He'd try his best, but he would never last long, succumbing to the comfort of the bed - the layered blankets and insulated heat - eventually falling back asleep. By the time the secondary alarm went off, his mind was dusted off enough to prompt him to pry himself away from his mattress. From there he'd make his way to the bathroom. Slowly. Dragging his feet across the carpet as he went, trying to will some feeling back into his extremities.

It wasn't until he placed his hand underneath the running water that he began to feel alive again. That first contact with the cold liquid always shook him deep down - regardless of how prepared he was. In less than a second he was covered in goosebumps, the hair along his arms and legs standing on end. Depending on the time of year, he'd either enter right away or let the water run for some time before there was thick layer of steam gathering along the ceiling.

When he did finally decide it was time, he didn't edge in - it was a full commitment. Letting the water wash over his head, across his face, and down the rest of his body. It only took a few minutes for the combination of pressure and heat to snap him back to life. He could feel the tiredness leave his body - stripped away by the water.

Once his mind was ready, it'd begin racing. Not in the sense of nervousness or excitement, but to catch up on the time it had lost while it was dormant - busy conducting dreams. Depending on the morning, it'd focus on happier things. What he had to look forward in the upcoming day. Who he was excited to see. What he wanted to eat for lunch. If there were any major events coming up. But then on certain days, it wound itself a little too tightly and began to think about the negatives. The darker aspects of life. Problems he was having. The people he missed. Issues he was having at work. Most of the time when his mind wandered down that path, it was like an avalanche. One thought began a chain reaction, slowing building throughout the rest of the morning - setting the tone for the rest of the day.

And on this particular morning, even though it had gone down that path, he was determined to stop it. To concentrate and get out of the grey.

So he tried something new - letting his worries wash down the drain, with the dirt from the previous day.