My husband and I were watching TV the other night and a commercial came on that focused on a newborn baby. I have no idea what the commercial was selling but I could smell the soft folds in that little neck. We both took a deep breath and said almost simultaneously, “We haven’t held a newborn in a long time.” Four plus years to be exact. Our youngest grandchild (#20) just turned four and it looks like the end of the line.
Then we started talking about baby food and how horrible the jarred squash tasted and how my husband would eat most of the Dutch Apple desert while pretending to feed the child in the high chair. And then….I had to mention how I really did not miss getting up in the middle of the night. Sleeping through the night was a sheer fantasy with seven children . Of course, when the baby finally did sleep through the night you woke in a panic, jumped out of bed and checked their breathing.
Now that we are in the so-called “golden years”you would think that sleeping through the night is a given…not so! When I complained about this to one of my favorite monks, while on retreat, he told me that this was a special gift, a perfect time to listen and pray. I sighed and said, “Easy for you to say. You didn’t spend twenty years with spotty sleep. I think it’s time for me to have the day shift.” Never mind that monks spend all watches of the night praying for the rest of us. He directed me to Psalm 63: “…and through the night watches I will meditate on you.” You just can’t argue with a sweet old monk.
Amen for today …take a nap…and Be Holy.
A Word to the Weary 