In the stillness of the night, while the rest of the household slumbers, I find myself wide awake. If I could just drift off now, perhaps I could salvage a semblance of sleep, instead of this endless tossing and turning.
Why is it that my partner, Dreamy Dan, can sleep so deeply? I wish I could channel that level of tranquility. Why does being a mother often come hand in hand with sleeplessness? He looks so serene—and dare I say, attractive. Maybe if I snuggle in a little closer, he’ll wake up. We really should make time for more cuddles and go on a date. It’s been ages since our last one.
What if we could book a sitter for this Friday? There’s that new film everyone’s raving about. What’s the title again? It’s on the tip of my tongue. Oh, who stars in it? The actress married to that guy from Deadpool. What’s her name? It’s driving me crazy! I should just wake up Dreamy Dan and ask him. He would know! I wonder how my old friend Mia is doing. I ought to drop her a line and plan a girls’ weekend soon.
A girls’ weekend, ha! I can barely manage a phone call with my best friend these days! Speaking of which, I haven’t heard from her in a while. I hope everything’s okay. What if she’s upset with me? Why would she be mad?
Okay, breathe. She’s probably just busy. Maybe something terrible has happened! What if she’s in the hospital? I’m the worst friend ever! I should definitely text her.
What was that actress’s name again? I used to keep up with all the latest gossip, the celebrity couples, and their breakups. Now I can’t even remember the name of the actress with the gorgeous hair. Maybe I should go back to coloring my hair, or perhaps embrace my natural grey. Why do women feel pressured to conform to beauty standards? I mean, didn’t Julia Roberts skip shaving for a while? Okay, that’s a bit too far for me. On the other hand, I could use a touch-up and maybe a wax while I’m at it.
The dog, Baxter, is snuggled up against me, but wait—what’s that smell? Did he fart? Ugh, I wish he would move. Now my leg has gone numb. I should really stretch more often. Everyone raves about yoga. If I did yoga like Dreamy Dan, maybe I could sleep peacefully too. Yes, yoga is definitely the solution to all my woes.
A cough? Is one of the kids waking up? Fantastic. I can already picture the fever, the snot, and the need to keep them home from school tomorrow. I have so much work to do! Am I getting sick too? I should have gotten that flu shot.
Don’t forget to grab oranges, Airborne, and every vitamin C-rich item at the store tomorrow. And veggies! When was the last time I cooked something healthy? Last night’s pizza feast doesn’t count, right? There was lettuce on the subs we had the night before.
An hour has passed, and I’m still awake, still unable to recall that actress’s name. I think she just had a baby. She probably fits right back into her size zero jeans. I bet she does yoga too.
I need to relax. If I can just close my eyes and take a few deep breaths, maybe I can still get some sleep. What was that meditation technique I read about? Something like inhaling for a count of 7…
Inhale, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Hold, one, two, three… Agh! I can’t hold my breath for that long. Who can even do that?
Maybe I need to start meditating. So when the kids are fighting, I can just look at them with a calm demeanor instead of yelling. They might ask why I look so weird, but I’d just smile and think, I’m meditating.
Breathe in. Ugh, breathe out. Maybe that’s the meditation I need to embrace. It’d help me cope with difficult clients at work too. What if I get fired and we lose our house?
Well, moving in with my parents wouldn’t be the end of the world. The kids would get to see their grandparents more often. I should really check in on my mom and dad. I don’t call them nearly enough. I’m a terrible daughter. I need to express my love more often.
Blake Lively! That’s the actress! I hope she calls her parents often too. Wait, I’ve got a brilliant idea for that client’s project! They will love it! If only I could get a little sleep first. Maybe I should just get up and start the day. The alarm is going to ring in 30 minutes anyway. I’ll close my eyes for just a moment.
27 minutes later…
“Mom! Time to wake up! You’re such a sleepyhead!”
Sigh… How many hours until I can go to bed again? And what was that great idea I had in the middle of the night?
In summary, the sleepless thoughts of a mom at night often spiral from concerns about family and friendships to fleeting memories of self-care and past joys. As she navigates the challenges of daily life, her mind races with worries, what-ifs, and the little things that seem monumental in the stillness of the dark.