A bed. Beds are underrated wonder mechanisms! They hold and support you in so many loving ways, even the bad ones. But they are under-cherished, under-considered, under-appreciated items that every single person reading this has . . . and I know this because I was one of you, until I rode across America on my bicycle.
Then it was eight complete solid weeks of camping, i. e. sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor with nothing between you and the cold cold floor except a one inch thermarest air mattress, that is, if it remains inflated all the night long. While indoors, it is truly still camping. Trust me. I am now an authority on this. Can you actually sleep in a sleeping bag on a thermarest for eight weeks? Actually yes, but not well, nor deeply, nor comfortably, unless you are also eight years old. Never undervalue your bed.
A shower. A shower is truly a marvel. In the last 48 hours I have literally taken seven showers. I finally feel clean for the first time in eight weeks. I wish I were still in the shower instead of on this airplane! Showers have the power to change your perspective, attitude, feelings, outlook, futures, present, memories - they are the wonder drug! Taking a shower with 20 other guys, in some of the moldiest, dirtiest, fungi-infested, stopped-up-drains, no water pressure, no lights sometimes, even in a baptistery once!, horror movie kinds of places for eight weeks, gives one a deeply spiritual appreciation for a modern shower that all of us have in our personal homes.
Showers that have hot water, and showers that have knobs from which we can call on that hot water to come-to-me experiences. Instead we had showers where you have to hold a "button" in, under pressure, sometimes under extreme pressure, in order for the water to trickle out. Try washing hair with one hand! Hey, trying washing anything with one hand while holding "the button!" Try wetting your bar of soap and rolling it around in your hand (singular), while holding "the button." It will invariably shoot across the scum infested floor to the other side of the shower directly under someone else's feet who is also trying to accomplish the same feat. Never undervalue your shower.
Finally a toilet. And of course we DID have a toilet in every place we stayed. The part you have to appreciate is that most often it was a single equal opportunity throne, to be shared with 20 other guys. Electronics were immediately banned, as were all reading materials! And trying to keep the girls from hijacking your single throne was almost impossible! Unless it happened to be one of those wonderful places where the door would not lock and the stall had no door! Assuming your place even had a stall surrounding the throne!
And while we did have a toilet, there was no, absolutely none, zero, nada, privacy ever. Imagine brushing your teeth each morning to the music of others on the throne! Imagine the hope of toilet paper which might not do you permanent damage when used. Number 10 grade sandpaper would have been kinder! Imagine never having enough TIME to finish your business, because there was only one throne and 20 guys. It's like being on the golf course and having someone constantly hurry your every shot! Never undervalue your toilet/privacy.
Never undervalue what you already have. Take some time and appreciate what you already have. Be grateful, thankful, and overwhelmed by how good you have it!
