One of the things I do not like about being single is that I am the only adult in the household. I don't have a big strong husband to fend off any intruders, robbers, would-be bad guys. No, if any bad guys come, it is me...me...me...protecting my daughter, our cat and our house! So needless to say I am jumpy at noises in middle of the night. And, if you listen for noises, you will hear noises! Plus, I have had some weird experiences in this house. So jumpy is to be expected.
Last night I heard noises. I was almost asleep and then about 11:00 I heard a loud bang. I had no idea what could have made the bang sound, but I was instantly scared. I sat up in bed and reached to the night stand for my glasses. I hear better when I have my glasses on. Hannah was asleep next to me. Yes, she should be in her own bed, but that is really a topic for another post! I sat listening, with my glasses on, and heard nothing. Hmmm, maybe it was nothing. I took my glasses off and sank back down into the bed. Well, of course now I can't sleep and I think I hear a car outside. It isn't driving by, just sitting there. Am I hearing things or is there a car outside? I could get up and check, but no, I think not. Could someone be trying to get into my house? I lay in bed praying for protection, thinking about what I would do if someone got into my house. I should probably get a ball bat or something to have under the bed.
I try to sleep. Hannah moves and elbows me in the head. I roll her over, saying "please move to the other side" (okay, if I'm honest, I think it was more like "MOVE OVER"!). She is sleeping. I am awake. It is now about 1:00. I hear another noise. It sounds like a lawn mower. It gets a little louder and then softer. Where is that noise coming from? Hannah rolls back over and I discover the source of the noise, she is snoring! Okay, so that noise won't hurt us, and I am truly a bit too jumpy! I keep listening, trying to get back to sleep, but very aware of every sound. Again I say, if you listen for noises you will hear noises! As I lay, totally awake, my memory takes me back to another night.
When I was first married we lived in a mobile home. One night, in the middle of the night, we heard a huge crash sound. It sounded like an earthquake. In fact, I thought it was an earthquake. My big strong husband jumped up and ran down the hall. Halfway down, he turned around and came back and said "I forgot to ask if you are alright". Once he knew I was fine, he headed back down the hall. A car...yes, a car had crashed into our kitchen! The car was stuck and the driver was trying to get out of the car. The police were there in a matter of minutes and they took the driver, a drunk male into the station. Apparently he was driving too fast and hit a speed bump that took his car airborne straight into our kitchen! Our mobile home had a huge hole in it and our kitchen was a mess! Luckily insurance paid for everything, including broken dishes and glassware and no one was hurt.
Back to last night. At about 3:00, I was finally able to sleep. I never did determine what the bang sound was, but apparently it wasn't an intruder. I still had to endure the occasional elbow to the head, or foot in the side, but from 3:00 to 6:00 I had pretty good sleep. I'm still thinking about getting a ball bat to put under the bed!
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2 comments:
Have you considered using a "White Noise" machine? It may make you sleep like a baby. Personally, I'm a "fan" guy. The hum of the fan drums out all of the house noises.White Noise
Don't bother with the ball bat under the bed. You need too much floor space to wind up and get off a really good swing. A ball bat next to the front door, genuine hardwood Louisville Slugger of course, makes sense but then it's a constant nagging reminder that you have fears. A nice heavy MAG-LITE 3 or 4 D-cell aluminum flashlight in the top drawer of the night stand is a much better choice. You'll need it anyway when the power fails. Tell yourself it's only purpose is for emergency light but comfort yourself in the knowledge that should an intruder invade your home you have a perfect bludgeon handy.
But then the real problem is that no one likes to sleep alone, after all the good Lord did make humans in a matched set, and as one's thoughts wander alone in the dark, all our deepest darkest fears find fertile ground. It's certainly no substitute for that missing partner but try playing a CD of a thunderstorm sometime. I never feel closer to God than I do in a good thunderstorm. I feel so alive and so an integral part of creation in the pure raw power of a thunderstorm that I sleep the perfect sleep of peace; even alone I know that I am never alone.
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