Bedtime Shuffle

“What about me, Daddy?” pleads Linus, age five.
“You’re on this side, son,” I answer, as I open my left arm across the quilt.
On the right, Camille nestles into the crook of my elbow, her tiny body snuggled like a pea in a pod.
Within minutes, they both doze off.

I don’t do so well flat on my back.
I feel restless and uncomfortable.
After a time, I slowly worm my way out from between them, gently rest their heads on the pillows and cross to the other bed in our hotel room, where I turn and begin to nod.

Within a seeming few minutes I sense a tug on the blanket and small fingers on my leg through the covers.
Camille crawls across my knees, right back to her original spot without a sound.
Moments later, another hand grabs his same space .
“Dada,” he starts, and before another word, I roll in his direction and offer the same open arm.
I utter a sigh of happy acceptance and resolve myself to a night of visiting the muses.
I contemplate the little things that mean so much, the trust of one’s child, the unsoiled love, and yes, the occasional shoulder to lean on.
Repose may dance elusive this eve.

In ensuing stillness, clarity sets in.
These peaceful treasures will soon awaken, full of vim, vigor and enthusiasm.
Unless I wish to spend the day in a torpid coma I must steal some shut-eye.

A second time, I ease myself softly away, leave them cuddling each other instead of me, an all-knowing parental bait and switch.
“Heh, heh,” I chuckle and smile upon them before retreating to the original station and a cool mattress. “Sometimes, Papa knows best.”

Before the sheep can work their magic or the cow finishes her leap, the bigger of the two small sets of hands nudges me in the back.
“Dada,” I hear again and repeat the earlier motion—arm out, head on. “No covers,” he adds and lies on top of the sheets in his PJs.
“Daaaadddd,” pipes the other one, awakened by her brother. “Daaaaddddyyyy.”
“Over here, baby,” I answer and she, too, makes the pilgrimage.
“I haven’t made much progress,” I brood, gazing at the ceiling. “Perhaps I’m not so clever after all. I seem to recall this exact dilemma twice chimed this morrow.”
The rise and fall of their chests create an unshakeable glow.
I decide to simply breath, catnap and enjoy.

”We went from bed to bed last night,” Camille utters over breakfast. “That was funny.”
She and her brother laughed and laughed.
Indeed.
Funny, special and priceless.
I’ll sleep later.

Success Quotes

Measure each day by the seeds sewn, not by the crops harvested.
Earl Nightingale

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
Charlotte Bronte

Key Points

Run, run, run.
Hurry, hurry, hurry.
Drive the car, talk on the cell, listen to the news, all at once.
Is it sunny outside? Who knows, no time for that.
What’s for dinner? Whatever leftovers sit in the fridge of course.
What’s happening this weekend? Huh? Are you nuts? I’m working on getting through today and that’s hard enough.

Wait. Pause. Breath.
You might even consider a smile.
Beware that with each passing sun (yes, it still rises and sets every day), you will have only one guarantee, which is:
That elapsed period can never be recovered and now you are one day older.
Did you gain anything from this day? Did this day help you become that which you wish for and strive to become?
Or did it simply pass without a mark?
Can you really afford to be in such a rush?
What if by the time you search for the sun, your eyes have grown too dim?
What if when you begin to seek the music, your ears have begun to quiet?
How do you feel when you finally see the face of your children in their children and wonder where their childhood went?
Will you have made a big enough mark to justify or validate the wrinkles around your eyes and all the missed moments?

Make every day count.
And every now and again, in the musical words of Simon & Garfunkel:
“Slow down, you move too fast—got to make morning last,
Just kickin’ down the cobblestones, lookin’ for fun and…”
You know the rest…