My five minutes in the bathroom

I was once assigned to write about moments of solitude, and the good they do to a person. Researching for the writeup yielded pages upon pages of wise, enlightening and beneficial information on the topic. I had quotes from Jesus, philosophers, historical figures, Nobel Prize winning authors, self-help gurus, a children's book character, and even Stevie Wonder.

His song, Superwoman, gave me the starting point for the writeup. I didn't use it in the context of the entire song, but some lines definitely hit me:

"Mary wants to be superwoman
But is that really in her head
But I just want to live each day to
love herfor what she
is...

"My woman want to be a superwoman
And I just had to say good-bye
Because I can't spend all my hours
start to cry."

The man went on and on lamenting about his woman, and needless to say, the end didn't seem very bright for the two.

In another story, this time from the Bible, Jesus chides busy-bee Martha, who, unlike her sister Mary who chose to sit by His feet to listen and just be with Him, went about stressing, just so their house would be just so, and the meal will be prepared right, etc., etc., etc. When she complained about how her sister wasn't helping, he replied, "Martha, Martha..."

I hear that chiding when I am spinning around trying to accomplish everything I set myself to do. In the end, I wonder how I get so exhausted when nothing much seems to have been done.

I thank God for little moments of solitude, which, on bad days, can really literally be the five minutes in the bathroom Mrs. Large, the mother Elephant in the children's book "Five Minutes' Peace", implored her children to give her. They pounded on the other side of the door with all sorts of excuses to get her to open the door.


Many times, the pending stuff can wait, even the text messages, Emails, piles of dishes, a full clothes hamper, even when it drives me out of my mind -- the O.C. place in my mind, that is. This pause is for good cause, too. A break doesn't have to be in a spa, a salon, a spiritual retreat. Just some time to be alone, and hear what my mind, heart, and body are saying. Five minutes of solitude can be powerful that way. After that, I'm ready for the next round.