“How sad is it that my favorite spot is my bed? But at this point in my life, as a stay-at-home mom with a 2 and 5 year old, I am so happy to crawl into my bed every night! I love slipping under the covers and feeling my whole body relax…and I have no one to worry about but myself! I love lying in the dark and talking about my day with Matt, and I love cuddling with the kids when they crawl in bed in the morning. And of course, I love SLEEPING!”
That was what I wrote in the Who I Am scrapbook that I created twelve years ago. Favorite places is the prompt for May’s Who I Am piece, and my bed still ranks pretty high up there.
A few things have changed, though. I am frequently the first person in my family to get into bed, and my teenagers climb in with me to sing the Shema and say goodnight. They know once Mom is under the covers, she isn’t getting out unless it’s an emergency. Or she has to pee.
While I am a night owl, I usually fall asleep within a minute of lights out. Sometimes the lights are still on; I have been known to fall asleep in the time it takes for Matt to brush his teeth. By the time he comes back into the bedroom, I am out.
There is no more cuddling with the kids when they crawl into bed in the morning; I’m usually up before they are, and they have no interest in snuggling with me in my bed.
I can’t quit you, bed.
Despite these changes, my bed is still one of my favorite places. I profess my love for it at least once a week, caressing its cushiony top and hugging its pillow close.
My bed is my calm, far beyond its primary function as the place I sleep. On weeknights when both teenagers are doing homework and Matt is catching up on his work, I could easily waste the evening hours falling down the Internet rabbit hole. If I resist and head up to my sanctuary, I spend the evening reading. My mind and body are able to wind down as I focus on one activity instead of jumping to a second and third and fourth.
My other favorite spots are also resting places.
The Broadway theater, as the lights dim and the orchestra begins the overture. The entire musical lays ahead of me, and the anticipation is intoxicating.
A grainy selfie before the show starts – I love my NPH.
A lonely stretch of beach on a brisk November day. The waves crash and recede as I sit a safe distance away, bundled in sweats and hugging my knees.
My reading chair in the corner of the family room. The sunlight warms the pages of the book in my lap, and Nellie finds another beam to settle into at my feet.
Strolling the French Quarter in New Orleans. Music streams out of every doorway and into the streets, yet the multitude of sounds and sights loosen my tightly wound brain.
My brain is always thinking about the next thing, and the thing after that. Because that is my normal, I don’t often recognize that fast-forwarding ahead is exhausting. Perhaps that is why my favorite places are those where my brain is resting, focusing on the moment.
I am finally in my resting place. I had all day that I could be here but I kept think of one more thing I could do and now it’s six o’clock. Dang. I accomplished a lot but now the day is practically over.
Also that is so me about once I’m under the covers. I hate when I have to get up to go to the bathroom and I haven’t even fallen asleep yet.
That stinks, doesn’t it? But I drag myself out of bed, because it would be even worse to wake up in the middle of the night and have to go.
The theatre and the beach are some of my favorite places, too! Nothing makes me feel so alive like seeing a fantastic show or relaxing on the beach 🙂
I only love the beach when it’s not hot (weird, I know), but I’ll take the theater any day!
i always say that if the house were on fire, i would save my tempurpedic bed! best investment i ever made. my favorite moments right now are cuddling with my family in the morning!
I loved those moments too. Enjoy every second!
Love it! I hope to worse this one and my bed will definitely be on my list, too! 🙂
Bed is definitely a favorite space, and probably would top my list if we had a TV in our bedroom. You’re really making me want to visit New Orleans, too!
I think you’re smart not to have a TV in your room – sometimes I wish I didn’t have one in there.
I want to go to New Orleans too…
I love this topic. YES, the bed. And I also relate to that moment the lights go down and a musical is about to start. I have a chair where I write and putz around on the computer and that is a happy place for sure.
I just love your beautiful, zen places.
And you glittery Broadway dress is FAB!! xx
I love my bed but I don’t sit in there during the day – it throws off the night mojo – don’t question that.
I am a lump on the log but well, my crippled arse kind of makes it that way so I have lots of spots but I’m most looking forward to my space in the yard near my lilies. I like writing there….and tanning…and drinking….sleeping mostly.
What an awesome take. My brain is also always fast forwarding. I now need to think about the places it slows down, because perhaps those are my favorite places.
I didn’t realize that those were my favorite places until I started writing!
“Perhaps that is why my favorite places are those where my brain is resting, focusing on the moment” Oooh yes! Like you, I’m always thinking several steps ahead (and it is exhausting!).
I like how we both talked about books 😉
Me too! Maybe that’s one of the reasons I love to read – it keeps my brain busy on something other than my own stuff.
Dana!!! I love this prompt and had every intention (I swear) or finally linking up – but may is kicking my ass. But I will, I will. I love the beach any time!!!! And lately, my bed, I can’t seem to get enough sleep. Although we just painted the bedroom and I hate the color…
Oh no! That stinks. But silver lining…if you hate it, you’ll want to close your eyes, and then you can sleep!
I can feel the zen in each of your resting places. I need to take your advice and put down my phone in favor of a book at night. Maybe then my bed won’t be the place I toss and turn for an hour before falling asleep!
Screen time before bedtime is supposed to mess with your sleep, but I don’t have any trouble nodding off. But it is a calmer, more peaceful night when I just read a book instead.
Love this and my bed it up there to too sadly now after having my kids. But I couldn’t help, but think Disney when I first saw this prompt and will be linking my Disney post up with a small addition about our upcoming trip as I am truly excited that it is now less than two months away 🙂
Yay for Disney! It’s one of my favorites too, although I do look forward to going during less busy times when my kids are out of school (they insist they will still want to go!).