Wake-Up Call

I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open. Nevertheless I get out of bed and take hold of the banister that will spiral my delivery down stairs. Lifting my feet, I begin the fast sliding decent that feels like my morning routine. Everything blurs and my eyes shut tight. As moments pass, it feels like I have been on this morning’s banister ride a long time, but I can’t tell if I’m still moving or if I have touched down. The nerve endings in my hands are over-activated from sliding friction and are no longer capable of detecting movement. I can’t feel anything and my eyes won’t open, so I take a guess that I have reached the kitchen floor, my destination, and let go. Phew I was right. My eyes flick open and I see my family are not so patiently waiting at the table for me to teach them a new game of cards. I take the pack and fulfill my obligation before attending to my own morning needs. I teach them a memory game, but I am unable to play for long as my eyes keep closing and I miss some of the cards.

This was my morning dream.

As I woke today, I realised that half my morning had passed to the dream world. My husband was long gone to work, replaced by my black and white cat who was snuggled belly up beside me. It is my first real day off in who knows how long. My diary confirms I have nothing scheduled. I think through all the things I should get done; a much needed haircut (today is probably the only chance this month I will have for this), a much needed house tidy (the parents in law have just informed us they will be arriving tomorrow, 3 days earlier), a much needed shop (the kitchen is beyond bare), oh and I look out the window and see the goats have again escaped their enclosure, so some yard work should be my first priority.

My head fills with a long list of chores that will fast-track my first slow-down day. I think about getting to it, but as I gaze over at my basking bed buddy, I remember my dream and wonder what I can’t see. I know why I can’t see, the forest has too many trees, but what am I missing? I know there is only one way to find out. I take a leaf out of my bed buddy's book, clear my mental schedule, and roll back over.