Facing East

I have a confession. Yesterday, I didn't shower until late - really late. Sun in the afternoon sky late. It was for a good reason - I worked in the garden all morning and into the afternoon- but still it felt funny. I'm a creature of habit and my habit is to wake up early, go for a morning run, and hopefully grab a quick shower before the kids wake up. It was pretty hard to go pick Cole up from preschool still hanging out in my grubbies. And I was nervous that someone would come over and see me in my un-showered state all morning.

But there was something very nice about my afternoon shower. The sun. We have a west-facing window in our bathroom and on the rare occasion when I take an afternoon shower, I bask forever in the sun streaming through the filtered window. It can warm me even on the coldest winter day. It feels tropical - like I'm standing under a Hawaiian waterfall with the sun beating down. I love it. This is the first time I've lived in a home with a bathroom window facing the sun. Growing up, only one of the three bathrooms in our home had a window, and it faced north. I've lived in five different apartments, four with no bathroom window and one with a north-facing bathroom window.

Not having much experience with bathroom windows, when we were buying the house, I thought it awfully strange to have a window in the shower. But then again, every house has some weird features, so I didn't worry about it too much. It wasn't really until this winter that I came to appreciate my shower window. I don't think I would be clinically diagnosed with SAD, but I do start to miss the sun by the time January rolls around. One winter afternoon shower left me feeling warmed by the sun for the first time in months and I realized how grateful I am for light and sunshine. I loved it. I haven't minded afternoon showers quite so much since then.

As I was enjoying yesterday afternoon's peaceful shower, I thought about how great it would be if my shower had an east-facing window so that I could have that same experience each morning when I showered. What a great way to start the day! I'm a morning person. Mornings are always calm and peaceful and I'm just not the same when I don't get to enjoy a bit of the morning before rushing into the day. Growing up, sleeping in was something I rarely experienced. There was pipe to be moved, you see. Lots and lots and lots of pipe. I rarely missed the sunrise all summer long. I can't say that I really enjoyed getting up at the crack of dawn as a teenager, but it makes for some great memories. My grandpa had two favorite sayings - "the morning air will make you beautiful," and "just think of all those poor people asleep down in their beds who don't get to see the sunrise." I didn't think they were so poor back then, but I think I understand a little more now.

I guess old habits die hard, because now I love to get up early on summer mornings. One of my favorite things about our house is my east-facing bedroom window. I love waking up to the sun streaming through my window. I don't have any problem waking up as long as the sun wakes up with me. Dark winter mornings are another story. It just feels wrong to wake up without the sun.

I also love the symbolicism of facing east. We are taught that the Savior will come from the east when He returns to the earth. We know this will be at a time when the world is troubled and there is darkness all around. I love the picture of the Son breaking through the darkness of this world and bringing light, just as the sun rising in the east brings light to our dark world each morning. For this eternal source of light, I am forever grateful.

When I build a house in that far-off someday, I'll build it with an east-facing window in my shower. And in my bedroom. And probably in the kitchen. And maybe in the living room. After all, you can never have too much light.

P.S. Thanks for the picture, Coley! You're a great photographer.