The beauty in . . .

a locked bathroom door.

This morning, I could have gotten away without locking it, as wonderful Superdad and wonderful Supermother-in-law are downstairs with the kids.

I locked it anyway.

It's a simple thing really. But for those of you who don't know how wonderful it is, let me extol its brilliance. Whether I am actually using le toilette, taking two minutes (if I'm lucky) to brush my teeth, or doing some miscellaneous activity that I can't even think of right now, it's just quite lovely to have some privacy. Bear in mind that Supertoddler is only 2.5, so I think that the need for a locked door will only increase over the next year. Then there's Superbaby, who will someday want to come in too. Supertoddler is actually quite good with the bathroom door for most people. He now knocks and says, "can I come in?!"

But that little twist of metal is comforting.

We all need some time to ourselves, and sometimes that bathroom break is the only time we get. I know that going to the bathroom was a downright luxury when I worked as a server in a restaurant. Last time I worked in an office, I worked pretty much alone, but I wonder: do people use the bathroom at the office the same way? A moment to collect themselves and just be away from everyone? Hmmm . . .

I keep a book in the bathroom. Many people keep magazines. It's not because I have a digestive problem. (Cue mom saying that the mere mention of bathroom-goings-on is uncouth.) I keep it because I like to read a paragraph or so of this book every time I'm in there. Frankly, it's the only novel that I am reading right now. And I'll have you know that I'm on page 85. So there! Reading novels is, sadly, kind of on hold until the kids are older or life gets calmer. Right now, my non-family-time energy goes *zing* to cleaning or dishes, *zoom* to maintaining my business, or *zam* to music or friends. There are other things, but reading just doesn't make it to the top of the list. So I love my paragraph at a time book.

Meanwhile, the kidlets are excellent readers and both completed their summer reading programs. Mas needs no encouragement to read, as it's just one of the things he finds it necessary to do in the day. Shaifali has loved books from an even younger age than Mas. So I guess I get my reading in every day--it's just about dumptrucks and animals in the water and baby haikus. I hope that the conversations I have, articles I read, and podcasts I listen to will keep my brain alive until I have time to read more again.

I was watching a friend yesterday as she was trying to talk to me. One kid came whining about being hungry. Another came up and just playfully hit her on the arm several times. And she just kept talking. A sister of this same friends said a few weeks ago how she, as Auntie, scolded the kids to leave their mama alone while she was in the bathroom trying to take a shower! And her kids are much older than mine.

Forget what they say about finding an hour to meditate each day. Well, don't forget it, just don't feel bad if all you can afford is 1.5 minutes in the bathroom by yourself. Whether you have kids or not, or if your kids are 2 or 20, keep finding your little piece of joyful solitude.

Shaifali finds her serenity with a rose at the Rose Garden