I am being beckoned by the bed. My eyelids are begging for their reprieve, my muscles are weary waiting to unwind and my back is literally screaming for relief. I fluff the pillows and dig down deep into the sheets and comforter. I stretch out straight getting all the muscles tightened just to release and let them fall into relaxation. Curling up into the warmth and comfort, almost a fetal position. Closing my eyes I let the chaos of the day drift away. I have to will my mind to stop tomorrow from playing out. Finally still, in body and mind I loiter in the between silence of awake and asleep. Lingering until I am unaware of anything around me. Suddenly conscious returns and the acrobats begin. Feeling uncomfortable in the sheets, twisting and contorting. One leg hanging over the bed and an arm heavy without feeling under my body. Why at this moment in the middle of the night is it suddenly difficult to find that same feeling of warmth and comfort? Hours pass and I cannot push from my racing mind the previous day’s events and the upcoming day’s challenges. Furthermore, no position is cozy enough for relaxation. The pillows seem like mountains raising my head and cutting off my airway. The sheets have become vines constricting around my legs tying me up. Finally, hour after hour of tumultuous determination the forced sleep returns, but not for long. The lights burst to life, Alexa says “Good Morning, Cherie.” My mind says “time to get up,” but my body is saying “no way.” My eyes are reluctant to open. My arms instinctively pull up the blanket further to block the rays of sunshine. Outside the cocoon seems so unforgiving and cold. My brain doesn’t seem to need too much convincing to lull back into sweet dreams. Alexa begins the music montage for the morning, a further intrusion of what I want most, sleep. Why is most of the night spent trying to fall asleep? Why is the hour right after laying down and the hour prior to the alarm the only moments of enticing contentment? Why is this the only time that the sheets feel indulgent and snug? I am back struggling in the moment, in battle with mind and body to generate enough momentum and motivation to start the day. Movement is difficult and the amount of fortitude and tenacity needed to actually extract myself is almost impossible to achieve. Once the blankets are pulled away and I am sitting up with my legs dangling over the sides of the high bed, a whole new hurdle arises; standing up. I slowly allow my butt to slide off the edge of the bed only to be assaulted by gravity and the cold floor that sends shivers through my entire body. I am out of bed and standing, my skills today are beginning to astound me! Surely if I can achieve this so early in the day then my accomplishments will be limitless. This repetitive struggle with the few hours of daylight in between is assured to begin again, I suppose, such is the cycle of everyday life.