The Thinkin' Chair!

I do some of my best thinkin' in the bathroom. I don't just mean upon the john. I mean generally, as in the room named after the luxury of sitting in a luke-warm mini-pond of your own filth.

I've heard others say the same thing - that they do their best thinkin' and prayin' in that particular room. Now why do you think that is?

Some may say, "Well you are often in various stages of undress there, and this lends itself to self-examination and transparency with God."

Too symbolic.

Others agree that, "We spend time in this room eliminating waste and relieving ourselves of "encumbrances" so we are freer to think there."

Gross.

Ya' know what I think?

I think it's the only room where you get left alone. Most of the time.

My father-in-law, Paw-Paw, as he is called by most, claims he never spent an alone moment in the "restroom", as it is also called, (but why?) during his child rearing years, and my husband confirms this claim. Paw-Paw said the kids would sit and visit with their Dear Ole Dad, he upon the pot, and the children on the side of the tub. He would often have a newspaper with him, but I suspect that was only a ploy to make the younguns think he was otherwise occupied (since just being in there didn't do the trick). I hear it never worked. The way he tells it, I think he sorta misses the company.

I too have experienced the interrupted time in the bathroom. In fact, with an 18mo old in tow, I find no "business" is too serious that she will not intrude with talking, (read: jabbering), digging in off-limit drawers/cabinets containing toxic cleaners/toilet paper, and continually coming in and out of the saloon-style swinging half-doors that a bartender must have installed to lend "privacy" to those on the potty.

With 2 bathrooms and 8 people, I also must share these quarters with others during bath time/shower time in the evening, so really, nothing seems to be sacred to these short people.

However, I truly don't prefer being alone, so children really have solved that small problem. It's good to have these little friends around me, all the time, even when I'm "thinking".