Though I am not sure why I decided today was the day to begin one of these, I have and blog I shall.
And what will be the first observation? What will The Hedonist impart to her faithful disciples?
The Sensation Of Warm Water On Skin.
The sun shines on the pool water throughout the day. It warms and becomes quite temperate. At the end of the day, when you've been locked inside your office clothes, steaming away for hours on end. There is something almost ritualistic about stripping those clothes away, donning swimming clothing and walking to the water's edge.
The tiles or bricks are still quite hot. The water moves in front of you, almost taunting you with its promise of instant cooling. You know that once you dive beneath the surface all the sweat, the tension, the absolute exhaustion of not only your work but dealing with the heat, will simply slide away.
You dip your toe in. It's almost freezing. The difference in your temperature and the temperature of the water is so great, that you wonder how on earth you've survived the day. Of course, you could just dive in, submerse yourself instantly and get the anticipation over and done with. But where would be the joy in that? Anticipation makes it all the better.
You take a step into the pool. The three or four steps into the shallow end inches the water up your calves. You shiver. The promise of cool invites you again to dive in. Get it over and done with. Do it. Do it now.
You take a few steps out across the shallow end of the pool. The water is now around your waist. Your torso shivers. The hairs on your arms stand up. You hands dangling beneath the surface of the water, fingers splayed. Slowly you lower yourself to your knees. The water takes hold of you. It envelops you and holds you dear. Instantly the cares and worries of the day are forgotten and replaced by a soft, long sigh. Resting back the back of your head is cradled by the cool liquid and you float.
This is what is it about. This replacement of one sensation for another. To go from hot and bothered to cool and relaxed.
The skin is our largest organ. It makes sense to use it for the purpose for which it was designed.
