100 Word Challenge: Sleep

The summer between high school and college, I lived in Tennessee with my mom and step-dad in a little house in the middle of the woods. Well, it felt like the middle of the woods, but it was really only a bit off the beaten path. There were lots of trees and very few neighbors, so for me, it felt like the middle of nowhere.

What the house lacked in urban charm, it made up for in natural amenities. The house’s best feature was a huge front porch. On warm summer nights, I would take my pillow and sleeping bag, and sleep outside under the stars. There were no railings so if I got restless during the night I could literally roll off the side into the bushes. It was my version of rustic camping.

That was some of the best, deepest sleep I’ve ever experienced.

Last week, I visited my mom and step-dad at their new, little cabin in the woods. It’s a smidge less off the beaten path, has a few more neighbors, but it still has a huge porch. This porch, unlike the other one, has railings, screened-in windows, a ceiling, and a very comfortable futon bed. I exchanged my sleeping bag for sheets and blankets, took my pillows, and slept outside.

What was the same as those long ago summer nights, was the sweet, cool Tennessee air that promised a deep, invigorating sleep.

There is something calming about starlight darkness, fresh mountain breezes, and cricket lullabies. My sleep was uninterrupted and dreamless.

Now, it’s back to a house full of pets, the sound of the A/C clinking on, and the flickering glow from the TV. Sleep is not so undisturbed and not entirely peaceful.

I’d try sleeping in my backyard, under the stars, but I’d be afraid some Florida mosquitoes would carry me away.

“From plants that wake when others sleep, from timid jasmine buds that keep their odour to themselves all day, but when the sunlight dies away let the delicious secret out to every breeze that roams about.” ~ Thomas Moore

This week’s word is:

Sleep

What to do:

Using “sleep” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.