Sleepless in Sinsinawa

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“So, how’d you sleep?” No one ever asked me that question when I was younger, but it is now something I get asked often. Sleep is an issue for me. I am no longer very good at it, despite the fact that I have a comfortable bed that I love to be in.

I’ve tried many solutions to address my problem, I have practiced meditation and relaxation techniques, downloaded apps designed to aid sleep. You would think that listening to music might be helpful, but as a former music teacher, I can’t help analyzing the music. I’ve listened to many an audio book, figuring that the story would transport my mind beyond my own racing thoughts.

Know what works best? Prayer, of course! I start with some scolding. “Dear God, if you are as loving and compassionate as I trust that you are, why on earth are you plaguing me with this? I will be better able to serve you tomorrow if I am not so tired.”

Sometimes I grab the olivewood rosary in my nightstand drawer, figuring that fingering beads has to be better than counting sheep. I usually don’t get through more than a decade or two.

The best is when I am able to place myself in the curve of God’s loving, sustaining embrace. Even if I remain awake, I am deeply resting.

Ann Henkel, OP
Mobile, Alabama

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