My Item from the Man-List

Each day when I open my email account I have several emails that have been forwarded to me to read. On occassions, I will open my account and there are more than just a few - so on those days I have to decide which ones I will read and which ones I will simply delete from existence. On one particular day a few months ago it was decision making time....after much consideration and deep thought, I decided to read the one that was titled "men vs. women in the shower"...or something to that effect.

The first part of the email was a list of about 25 things a woman does in preparation for and into the shower. The man list? It had all of three items....but the one I remember was, "man stands in shower, blows his nose into his hand and shakes it off." Okay - that one was very disturbing to me. Confession time - I do this nearly EVERY DAY!!!! I couldn't believe that was on the man list like it was some female forbidden taboo.....Should I even be confessing this? Probably not....but ever since starting chemo, this particular man-item is something I can not live without.

It is the part of my shower I most look forward to - because until I have completed this daily ritual, I am unable to properly breathe. The chemo has thinned the mucous lining not only of my bronchial tubes, but of my nasal passage, as well. So, each day, it clogs up - and each morning it has to be "relieved" of the stress. So, yes, each day I have a really nice bloody nose - not so appealing to you - of that I am certain. Listen - I could get super graphic and share many details of other items the chemo has effected....but I love you more than that. Moving on......

Reviewing the man-list for the shower. If my memory serves me correctly (and my memory is HORRIBLE right now) the other two items for a man in the shower involved body parts that I do not possess....so it would be impossible for those items to pertain to me. Seriously - I am not kidding - it would be impossible. Please take my word on that. However, it gives me pause to note that....what is good enough for the man-list, might just be good enough for me - for all of us.

I am reminded of a line from a play that was done by Triopia many moons ago. I believe it was "Speak of the Devil." My brother was a junior (1980) and Jerry Hooker (can't remember his name in the show) was asked..."So, you have seen God....what does He look like?" And Jerry responded, "SHE'S beautiful!!!" Not sure if he said beautiful.....but the point is.. we all see God as a man....and he made God a woman!! I love it - one of my all-time favorite Ken Bradbury lines!!!

So, here is to us - to life - and to everyone being able to identify with the man-list.