The last child began to walk on the river
Clashing torrents only moments before
Sharp sapphire waves exploding to mist
Now calm, clear, a deep blue under him
Small stepping stones lay before him in all directions
Paths of Life
Each stone was a thought in his mind
Ten thousand possibilities crossed his mind at once
And then were suddenly forgotten
He stared into the sky
Inhaled a deep breath
And took a step forward
—————
early draft: 2005.09.06
Believe it or not, there’s a very big difference between “Body Wash” and “moisturizer”. We all know this, right? So why don’t the manufacturers make a clear differentiation between the packaging? Today I put on body wash thinking it was lotion. Yes, you read that right. Of course someone had put the body wash next to all of the lotions, and I was soon struck by how sticky this new lotion was. I went back to examine the bottle, and lo, the bottle said, in very small letters, “Body Wash.”
A minute later I noticed another bottle standing only 5 feet away on the window sill that was 95% identical to the first one with a single word difference: it read “moisturizer” instead of “body wash.” I was surprised to say the least and began rinsing off my hands and arms.
This experience reminded of a life lesson that we, as fallible humans, have to repeat from time to time: pay attention to details, especially in matters of hygiene. (Obviously this is why I shouldn’t be allowed to work at a hospital.)
Yet there was a silver lining. After I rinsed the body wash off, my hands and arms felt great, and I didn’t even need the lotion anymore. Call it a happy accident, but that mistake actually turned out to be a good thing. Still, that’s the last time I use body wash outside of the shower.
Maybe.
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