I’ve always admired the late American author and poet, Sylvia Plath, for her raw, confessional poetry, and one of her quotes has always stuck with me: “There must be quite a few things a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” As I sank into my own fragrant bubble-filled bath, Bruno Mars playing softly in the background, I couldn’t agree more.
In the quiet moments, before the bustle of the workday and life in general, I shifted my thoughts to myself. For the first time in decades, I can literally do whatever I want. I suddenly felt freer than I ever had and at the same time overwhelmed. I mean, it’s one thing to look at the chapters of my life within the associated constraints of my family, my life partner, and other influencing factors. I coulda, shoulda, and didn’t do a lot of things because of these people and conditions. But now that I’m on my own again, my next chapter awaits and I can be its only author. Now what?
What is a confessional, you ask? In this context, Merriam-Webster Dictionary tells us that a confessional is ‘characterized by unguarded openness or self-revelation’. *
To this looming challenge, I decided that my bathtub would become my morning “confessional”. I asked myself one simple question: What life experiences have I thought about that I haven’t yet experienced? I wasn’t prepared to, seemingly out of nowhere, be flooded with examples…salsa dancing, pastry making, becoming fluent in Spanish followed by an adventure in a Spanish-speaking country, and much more. My empty hot water tank provided reminders that my confessional contemplation was nearing its end. I decided to take a step forward but gave myself permission to take things slow. As my fragrant bath drained from the confessional, I made the following to-do list:
- Clear my schedule for a few hours this week to find a nearby vintage bookstore.
- Leisurely poke around to find books on pastry making, Spanish lessons, and dancing.
- Find or create a cozy corner in my house.
- Don comfy loungewear, fuzzy socks, and a soft blanket, play inspiring music, and begin reading to inform the writing of my next chapter.
What’s waiting for you in your confessional? Find your favorite zen space and create your confessional ritual!
