Pillows and Sheets

Slumber.  I think the word aptly fits the body at complete and total rest.  There is nothing I enjoy more than the powering down of my own body.  The simple act of shutting off all input from this chaotic world and allowing my body, unconsciously, to do maintenance and restoration work is the essence of relief. In my opinion, slumber is one of the greatest gifts of being alive.

I have learned the immense value of crawling into my own bed.  Through my personal enlightenment, I came to realize that the time we spend parallel to the earth in the frame of our choice is worthy of attention and great detail.  After all, it is the one thing that awaits us at the end of each day.  Whether it is the close of another hot day or the end of another battle to stay warm against the cold of winter, slumber awaits.  It waits to for us to be still, to close our eyes and carry us far away from our world to places unknown.  We all know that moment, the moment when sleep has come to steal us and take us for a ride.  I call it the Grab.  Those moments when sleep attempts to take your hand but keeps losing its grip.  I can feel myself sliding away and returning, sliding away and returning until finally sleep takes a firm hold and off we go.  I love that part most for it is all I can remember of the moment I fall asleep.

I am not a dreamer.  I do not dream in color or take remembered trips of flight.  My journeys while sleeping are completely unknown to me save for the occasional dreams that make either no sense or scare me.  I do not feel robbed of the dream experience as I find them unprophetic and confusing.  My sleep is best without them.

Not too many years ago, I happened on a bed frame for sale.  It was one of my spontaneous purchases that never came with a moment of regret.  Until the frame arrived, my bed was a place to sleep.  Once it was here, my bed and my slumber developed detail.  As always and respecting my privacy, I have found a picture of my bed frame to share with you.  It is simply lovely.  It hastens me to it at the end of the day.

I soon realized the upgrade of sheets was in order.  First a set of 400 tc sheets, then 1200tc and now 1600 tc sheets adorn my bed.  The way I see things, I am spending a good deal of my life in bed trying to fall asleep, sleeping or trying to stay asleep.  I felt I should make this daily experience as pleasurable as possible.  This decision had zero regrets as well.

I sleep alone and that is when I'm happiest . I love having my bed all to myself.  I can lay perfectly still all night or thrash around seeking the perfect position, it makes no difference.  I am comfortable and there is no one to impede my movements. No fight for sheets or blankets, no elbows, no extra body heat (not always a bonus in winter but the cats keep me warm), its just me.  Sometimes you need to be alone in a space void of other humans.  Sometimes you just need silence.  After all, how can sleep come to steal you?

My final requirement for slumber is the second pillow.  It never lays next to mine, instead it is held.  I wrap my arms around it, close my eyes and fall asleep.  Perhaps it is my company, my companion through the night.  All I know is that sometime while asleep, I release the pillow and let it go along with whatever need I felt to hold it in the first place.

Slumber is my vacation, my escape, my respite.  And what is truly amazing is that everyone does it.  Everything living thing does it.  We all have our own unique ways of doing it, but we all must do it.  Its like eating and breathing.  It is our nature.  Its our gift.

It is now 7am and I so want to go back to bed!