This morning felt like camp day – early rising, boiling water for a warm bath, head in the sink for a cool water hair wash – an adventure to begin my day.

Inconvenient, sure, but I leaned into it to ‘get it done’.

As I was schlepping pots of hot water to the bathroom, my mind turned to the past, and I thought about people in centuries of yore who either didn’t bathe or did so infrequently. I imagined giant cauldrons of water being toted from basement fires, up multiple flights of stairs, to the far reaches of a stately home, castle, or villa to fill copper bathtubs. And then repeat the process until the bath was full, reversing the process once ablutions were complete. Can you imagine?

Is it any wonder people weren’t frequent bathers?

My pots were small, not heavy (except the blue cruset wannabe – cast iron is not light), and all I had to be mindful of was not to spill hot water all over myself. A light chore by comparison to days gone by.

I also thought about present day when people, mostly women, have to trek miles in some countries to get water for their families – it’s survival at that point, not a chore. And, I reflected on our own First Nations peoples who do not have potable water in many communities in the province and across the country – and it’s 2025. What’s that all about?

It puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?

I have access to clean water. Sure, it’s cold today, an inconvenience, but I have the means to be able to heat it to whatever temperature suits me. Others have to take what they can get – how fortunate am I?

Feeling grateful this Friday morning…