Hydrate

About 30 minutes ago I took a glass sitting next to my sink, filled it with water, and drank the entire thing.

This was very difficult for me.

For whatever reason, I don't love water. Most likely because it is more or less boring. Hydrogen and oxygen? Come on. Please.

Now I do recall one time a few years ago when I went on a run/walk in the very intense summer heat, and when I got home I filled up a cup with ice and then as the water was pouring from the tap on top of the cubes, I could hardly wait to put that water in my mouth. It took all my patience to wait four more seconds. And I remember thinking at the time, "If I never find a man, if I truly remain celibate my entire life, whether I just remain single in the secular world or randomly decide to become a nun, well then, I won't need to experience the pleasures of sex because I imagine they are quite as good as this here glass of ice cold water after extreme exercise in extreme heat."

Sorry, that was perhaps a little graphic. But true.

So I do enjoy water, particularly after exercise. It is something whose presence I take for granted, because I am so incredibly spoiled to have clean water, amongst all the other meaningless material possessions I have and do not deserve. So, because I am so blessed to be able to assume that water will always be around, I drink coffee, Coke, milk, tea, beer, wine, instead.

Now I know what you're thinking: "Bailey, don't you run quite a bit? Don't you get thirsty when you exercise?"

Why yes, curious blog reader, I do in fact enjoy a bit of water after a good run. But the key word here is "bit." I drink a bottle, maybe two, of water after a workout and then quit. Because, again, I take it for granted, and, again, water is a tad boring. I'd give it half a star in the taste category. I take a few gulps to quench my immediate thirst and then when my stomach senses fullness I move on to tastier, more carbonated and acidic things.

So the past few days I have made myself fill glasses of water, stand by the sink, and drink that water gone. I do not enjoy it. But I know that I need it. Lauryn Hill sings a lesser known song called "Selah," and my favorite line in the song is "Cause me to agree with what I know is best for me." Thus. I drink the hydrogen/oxygen combination that continues to create wonder in all its many forms and capacities, in its life-giving power.