“It’s in the morning, for most of us. It’s that time, those few seconds when we’re coming out of sleep but we’re not really awake yet. For those few seconds we’re something more primitive than what we are about to become. We have just slept the sleep of our most distant ancestors, and something of them and their world still clings to us. For those few moments we are unformed, uncivilized. We are not the people we know as ourselves, but creatures more in tune with a tree than a keyboard. We are untitled, unnamed, natural, suspended between was and will be, the tadpole before the frog, the worm before the butterfly. We are for a few brief moments, anything and everything we could be. And then…and then — ah — we open our eyes and the day is before us and … we become ourselves.” 
~ Jerry Spinelli

For months on end it seems we have run around like mad things with our plates heaped with work and family and life in general. And slowly I’ve been feeling worn down by it all. I’m still okay in myself, but I knew I’d lost my bounce. I knew I’d stretched myself a little thin.

Last night at our little farm the sky darkened, cloud gathered and it began to rain; soft lovely rain that beat a gentle drum on the roof and dripped from the eaves like quiet music.

Inside I made a fire in the grate, and read for a while. Ben put on headphones to listen to a football game. The house was warm and cosy, evening bumped at the windows with her chill and suddenly I found myself unable to keep my eyes open. At seven o’clock at night!

I decided to take advantage of the quiet and put myself to bed early. I put some lavender, rose and ylang-ylang essential oils in my diffuser. I dressed in old and comfortable pyjamas and slid down between the cool sheets. One of the dogs jumped up beside me and snuggled in, giving me an instant warmth. I lay for a while listening to frogs croaking and the steady drip of rain, and then somehow I drifted up to sleep.

This morning the house is cool and smells of woodsmoke and lavender. Now I’ve finished my meditation I’ll stoke the fire and make a cup of tea, then perhaps I’ll sit for a while and write.

I feel a deep calm. Sleep has restored something precious to me.
Thank goodness for the healing power of an early night. I hope that those of you who need one find time for one soon too!

Much love to you, Nicole ❤  xx