Lion and Magic Boy

Perhaps as a result of the exercise I began recently of attempting to remain in the moment (not always easy when there are constantly so many demands made by others), and perhaps from having been so sick recently that every night I was exhausted, but lately I have been feeling very grateful for my bed. As someone who has maintained a love-hate relationship with my bed for years, it’s huge to be able to say this.

A Few Exciting Moments In Bed History:

1977: Graduated from pink bedpread to a comforter in a dashing shade of, uh, pink.

1981: Entertained Bad Boy Older Guy boyfriend who was six years older than I was and a coke addict in my twin bed while the parents were out. Not long afterward I was shipped off to college. Coincidence?

1982: Quit college, slept on floor of my new empty apartment.

1982 1/2: New boyfriend bought me a king-sized bed with an agenda. We were married within a year.

1985: Waterbed. Right. They leak, especially after soon-to-be ex throws the mattress down the stairs when you’re moving out.

1992: Sleeping alone again after some off-and-on, with years’ worth of insomnia. Is it the caffeine? I have found a love for flannel sheets, though, except I have to wonder about the dust everywhere that is the same color as the sheets. Do sheets shed?

1995: Beg for new bed during pregnancy, feeling like I’m sliding off the edge. New husband has old mentality, and convinces me to buy the bed that Paul Harvey, pretty much dead already himself, advertises.

2000: Joined by new bedmate weighing 7 lbs 2 oz. This king-size bed is not big enough and I’m sure he’s going to squish her. So now I have to be in the middle (sigh) and I can’t hang my feet over the edge. It’s a good thing I’m not sleeping anyway.

2003: The girl has done growed up and she kicks her feet in her sleep. It’s time she slept in her own bed. Good thing, too, because her other brother is due to arrive anytime.

2004: I hate that bed. I don’t care if I’m sleeping on air or not. It’s not big enough. So I buy new sheets, made from organic hemp. So what if they’re $400?

2005: I told you the bed wasn’t big enough. I’m moving, you can have the bed. I’ll get a new one.

2005 1/2: New bed: complete with squishy down feather bed-thing. Feels like sleeping in a nest. I took the hemp sheets with me though.

2005 3/4: Michael hates the feathers. He’s allergic! He brings his bed, so I’m sleeping on air again. Except this one is technically a camping mattress. Makes rubbery sounds. S’okay, I’m not sleeping much anyway.

2006: Moved again. Still on air. Michael leaves but leaves me the camping mattress. S’okay, I’m getting used to it. Since he was allergic to down I bought a lovely thick wool mattress cover and a lovely thick wool duvet. With my lovely wool pillows I may turn into a sheep.

Now: The hemp sheets bit the dust. I repaired them once but they got so thin there was nothing left to patch. I am back to flannel, however the flannel leaves little grey balls of flannelish fuzz everywhere, all over the floor for instance.

And now: I love climbing into this bed. All the lovely wool warms without feeling hot, and I feel enveloped by soft comfortable wooly-love. Everyone should have such a bed. I don’t even care about the air mattress thing anymore, though someday I will buy a latex bed. Yummy! Everyone should love their bed. Do you?