Imagine

Yesterday was John Lennon's 70th birthday.  OMG, I feel old.  I can remember when he said, "Never trust anyone over 30."  Yet if he were still alive, my guess is that he'd be as driven and conscientious as ever, and still composing great music.  "Imagine" the thoughts he gave us over the years:  give peace a chance, love is all you need, war is over if we want it.  But of all the subjects he wrote about, there is one you never hear celebrated.

Sleep.

That's right.  Sleep.  This was a man who truly knew the value of one of life's most important things.  Consider, if you will, the following words:

Please don't shake me
No, don't wake me
Leave me where I am
I'm only sleeping.

A man who could write that was indeed a genius.  As a society, we undervalue sleep.  We work, work, work, drive home through traffic, take care of the kids and the house, and then, maybe, grab a few hours of rest.  Few of us get the 8 hours we really need. 

I'm not one of those.  Nope.  I love my sleep.  Sometimes in the morning my first thought is how long it is until I can tumble into bed again.  When I get my daughter up for school, I head back for one more precious hour.  And, I admit, with some embarrassment, that on the days when I start work at 12, I usually sleep some more.  What's wrong with that, I'd like to know?  (oops.  That's McCartney, not Lennon).  I take naps.  I sleep late whenever possible.  Sometimes, having turned into my mother, I fall asleep in front of the TV.  There's only one thing wrong with sleep:  I'm not conscious and thus aware that I'm enjoying it so much.  Guess I can't have everything.

When I'm overtired, I get manic.  It's kind of fun, a natural high, but in other ways I'm not too effective.  I have to be very careful driving, because I feel almost drunk.  I tend to get short with people.   I never want to go anywhere.  Like most people, I work through the tiredness, but I'm not happy.

Remember that when we were little we took naps?  Parents and teachers knew the value of rest for active little bodies.  Little has changed, really.  We all need sleep.  It doesn't take a scientific study for us to know that we feel better when we're rested.  We have more energy, can get more done, and, most importantly, are in better moods.  We tend to have a more peaceful home life and not to snap at people.  In fact, we're kinder in just about every way. 

What if everyone in the world got enough sleep?  Would people be healthier, happier?  Would courtesy make a return appearance?  Most importantly, would there be less fighting, more peace?  Imagine.  I do.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.  I think John Lennon would approve.