“Sleeping, eating, and shitting.” Those were said to be the three realisations of Shantideva, who was an exceptional Buddhist monk famous for delivering the Way of the Bodhisattva off-the-cuff per the request of his confrères who intended to throw him out of the monastery. You might laugh, as I certainly did. It’s seen as uncharacteristic for monks to speak like this, but that’s merely because they have exceptional PR. I’ve personally heard a monk swear before, and I thought it was hilarious.

But aside from the hilarity that ensues whenever one talks about “shitting”, there is a serious point. Namely, when was the last time you took a shit? I’m willing to bet that you haven’t truly taken a shit in years, as is the unfortunate symptom of a society addicted to smartphones. Where once we had a moment to be with one’s bowels in the sweet release of nature, we no longer enjoy such peace, as we may continue to answers emails, texts, and even write blog posts as one gets down to business.

This is something as a tragedy, or perhaps a tragicomedy, as we may in future remind ourselves to mindfully enjoy what toilet-time we have. It is, after all, a relieving experience. So, please, I implore you, take the time, laugh, and enjoy even the most mundane things that make us human. And yes, I am a hypocrite, but I may at least laugh at my own hypocrisy.