I like to be naked.

No, this doesn't mean that I want to join a group who walks around un-clothed with others at some kind of spa or resort devoted to that. It just means that I feel good being naked. By myself. Without clothes. With no one watching.


I first realized it when I was working for a company that sent me on the road a good part of the year, and once I was in a motel room, I thought: you're alone, so why not take off your clothes and be comfortable? I did, and I liked the freedom from, in my case, pants with a belt and shirts buttoned to my neck. Even underwear. I was naked and felt at ease.

The sheets were newly washed and smelled good, and I turned on the TV and switched stations with abandon, watching shows I'd never imagined even existed, some devoted to fishing, others to cooking, still others X-rated (for an additional fee). I didn't care. I watched anything. I was naked and totally relaxed. A nice feeling.


Granted, I had to put on some clothes if I ordered room service or pizza to be delivered to my room, but, once that was done, it felt great to be in my own space again and with no clothes on. I ate the pizza totally naked, using the hotel/motel towels to wipe up my messes

I guess one reason I felt so good being au naturel was that there wasn't anything sexual attached to it. No pressure to "perform". It was just me the way I came into the world. It felt good.

I brought up the subject of being naked once in a business group, and while most of the men said that, yeah, they'd done that, the women unanimously disagreed. Take off all your clothes? With the lights on? And all those goddamned white-light mirrors in the bathroom? Are you nuts?

(Also avoid those full-length mirrors often attached to bathroom doors in hotels/motels.)

My take is that women are much more conscious of what they look like naked than men are, which may account for all the overweight older men who get caught with younger women in sex scandals. Trust me: money passed hands. No attractive self-respecting young woman would give an older, paunchy, balding guy a blowjob -- or more -- without being paid. Would you?

When I was a kid, I often heard about "nudist colonies" (that was the term) where people paraded around with no clothes on as if nothing unusual was happening. They frolicked on the beach and played volleyball. All stark naked. Pretending everything was normal.

Hello?

How can you not notice when someone of the other sex is naked? If you're a guy looking at women un-clad -- except the very oldest ones or the very youngest ones -- you have to notice. It's biology 101. Not sure about girls, but I'd guess it's pretty much the same.

My point is that it's natural to be naked, to have no binding clothes on, to let yourself just spread out as you're intended to -- but it might be best done in private. Just you and your body, at peace and enjoying a moment together. Heavier than you want to be? No problem. Snuggle up with yourself in bed and relax. Tomorrow you'll start that exercise routine that will change your life. (Groan!) Tonight just be yourself.

If you have access to a pool where you won't be observed, try diving in and swimming or floating or just walking around in the shallow end -- with not even a swimsuit between you and the water. Nothing like it. Guaranteed. You'll think you're a dolphin.

The danger of seeing yourself naked, of course, is that you may discover that you don't look all that good. Your dress or suit may have been covering a lot of bulging faults. So you have a choice: get yourself into shape or put your clothes back on -- or maybe just stop looking in mirrors.

I think it's therapeutic to get naked every chance you get. Step out of the shower and, after towelling off, walk around in your birthday suit for a few minutes. Go into all the rooms of your house as God intended you. If no one else is home, fix yourself some breakfast. (Watch the spattering hot grease!) When was the last time you ate breakfast naked?

If you're like me -- never. Why not?

No one's watching, so maybe it's time, no?

You first.