Insomnia...

The title of this post did not exist in my dictionary till yesterday. Rather, I have always had this notorious ability to sleep. As a matter of fact, you will need a bit of history to help you believe that. I'll start with the story of a 10th grader's watery wakeup call...

 

I have a dear sister, younger by 3 years. When I was in the 10th grade, she had the awesome privilege and responsibility of waking me when the alarm rang. This sweet soft spoken sister would diligently get up at the first ring and call me in the gentlest tone possible. On occasion I would debate with her whether she called me at all. When no response sounded from yours truly, she would instead sit to study her 7th grade portions. No alarm clock gifted on birthdays was loud enough to wake me from any stage of slumber. I would continue to sleep till the...Creak! The creak belonged to my parent’s bedroom door. That creak was never louder than the alarm, yet never failed to wake me for fear of dire consequences otherwise. I was forever grateful for the creak till the day my mother crept (I am sure she crept under their door!!) to find me sleeping! She motioned to my sister not to wake me, got a bucket of water (or maybe it was a mug - not really sure) and poured it on my gloriously sleeping beautiful face. Dearest younger sister got a "double portion" scolding that day, from my mom for not waking me and from me, for not letting me know that mom was awake. Unfortunately the water did little to cure my ability to sleep deep... I have been blessed with a mother who catnaps through life! I would always quote to her the bible verse "God gives sleep to those whom he loves".

Sleep and I have always had an intimate relationship. I could fall off to sleep while reading, talking, standing, sitting etc..And the relationship goes further in that I had been blessed with the ability to talk and walk while sleeping!! Now, I hope you understand why Mummy is blessed to cat nap. When I was in first grade, my parents never had to ask me about school. I would give a very vivid description of what I learned including the choicest words the teacher used to scold anyone in the class, which was otherwise forbidden at home. Sleep walking was fortunately cured when I left home for hostel (maybe as a result of Mummy's prayers)!! Sleep talking and walking though, wasn’t an everyday affair!

Sleep talk was something I continued into college. I had my school senior in hostel and she would get a kick out of asking me questions when I was sleeping. In the course of my sleep conversation I would wake up, carry on with my eyes closed and add some extra dialogues to pretend that I wasn't actually sleeping!! In fact I could take an engineering lecture in my sleep. I guess my roommates thought I was more intelligent in my sleep!! The heights of sleep talk occurred when my roommate tried to wake me to clear her doubt in operations research. I sat up in bed, asked for a pen and paper and solved the whole problem for her, gave her back the pen and continued in deep sleep. Morning when she thanked me, I had no clue about anything the previous night...sounds creepy but that’s the truth!! At the final year farewell party in the hostel, our juniors were unanimous in crowning me "Sleeping Beauty"

No matter what the exam, no matter how big a job interview, no matter how terrible the day- nothing has ever robbed me of a good night’s rest!! Neither the office desk nor dorm rooms, train berths nor KPN(midnight journey) bus seats, nothing has stood in the way of sweet slumber for me...I would often say that Jesus slept through the storm and so can I.

God had a big joke in store when it came to marriage. The deep sleeper got married to my mom's relative, the Cat napper!! Lloyd was for sure startled when he heard midnight narrations. The smart guy that he is, he would never pass the opportunity to quiz me, in the process of which, I would wake up and add my conscious bit too. Sometime into marriage, God graciously cured me of the sleep talking!!

Before I had a baby, I worried/wondered whether I would hear the baby cry when I am sleeping... God is great for even the slightest whimper would wake me. I would involuntarily say "Thank you lord".....I haven't reached the stage when anything and everything can wake me. But for now I am thankful that Joanna and the alarm can wake me, and of course God does wake me up whenever I let him know I need some special time with him...

Now that you have a detailed Patient history, let's discuss last night's problem. It was 9:30pm. Lloyd was already on transit from third heaven to fourth heaven!! I had Joanna in bed and put the night light on. Within a few moments of lying down, I found I just couldn't sleep. Jo was as usual fidgeting but that had never stopped me before...I shut my eyelids tight and ended up with a headache trying to fall asleep... I thought I would stay till Jo slept, and then read myself to sleep. As luck would have it, Joanna was wide awake and busy talking to herself.. I kept quiet, trying to pretend that I was asleep and meanwhile found that my head hurt less in with eyes at half mast. Finally I told Joanna that she was happy not sleeping coz the night light was on. I got up and switched it off. I then tried my best to count sheep but unfortunately no sheep could induce sleep. My imagination was stuck. I tried to pray softly but my head was throbbing with pain and I couldn't concentrate...

I was puzzled to say the least. Me, the notorious sleeper, who was the most likely candidate for a Nobel Sleep Prize, was struggling to sleep?? What was wrong with me? Why was I struggling to catch a wink of sleep? As I waited in silence for an answer to my queries, my heart went out to those who suffered from Insomnia. I brought to God all those who were up at night worrying about their tomorrow. Those that wept onto their pillows and them that had nowhere to lay their head. I found my thoughts go on to thank God for the roof over my head, the peace and rest he gave me each night were priceless. I thanked him for the sweet slumber I have always enjoyed. The Gift of Sleep - I had never known the value of this gift, rather took it for granted till the night I suffered its lack. Thankfulness lulled me ever so gently into sweet slumberland.....

Have you dear Friend , thanked God for rest and sleep ?