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Friday, April 27, 2012

The Gift of Sleep

I think I wrote a few months ago that for just the very first time in my very long life (I get senior discounts, so I'm not being sarcastic) I slept through my alarm.    It has happened a couple of times recently.  For me that's a very traumatic failure.

Yesterday I set the alarm to wake me up at 5am this morning, so I could leave for work around 7am.  At some point I found myself waking up but didn't hear the alarm.  I figured it was early, but after a few minutes or more I decided to check.

I let out a scream; it was almost 6:30.  How was I going to get out safely at a time that would make it feasible to catch a ride and get to work on time?

Contrary to my normal morning routine, I was a hysterical nervous wreck and couldn't find everything.  It took me so long, but I still somehow got out around 7:15 after even eating breakfast, showering dovening etc.  I took my coffee in the Thermos, since I figured that I'd be totally incompetent sans the magic potion.

I waited for a ride, took one to the next "stop" and waited there, since cars from Shvut Rachel stop there, too.  Within a few minutes a ride came.  The driver didn't really want to drop me off on the road by Sha'ar Binyamin, but he had mercy and agreed.  No, I didn't argue with him; I just stood there looking old and pathetic.

On the way it suddenly occurred to me that maybe I hadn't slept through the alarm.  Maybe I hadn't reformatted the alarm setting on my phone.  I had cancelled Friday before the last day of Passover, so it wouldn't disturb everyone.  I checked, and I was right, so I reformatted it to go off on Fridays.

So, what must be the message of this story?

G-d decided that I needed more sleep.  I got to work on time without any problems, even though I had left home late.  And I survived even without my usual leisurely water and coffee and computer time.

That hour and a half of sleep was a gift from G-d, a very valuable one for sure, Baruch Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach
Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

2 comments:

  1. We're about the same age (I just had my other 39th birthday), so I am wondering why you are still working full time?

    My hours, already part-time, were just cut even more, but I had already been thinking of how to tell my director (of a preschool) that I want to ease into retirement. I am focused on my chldren (read: daughter,especially) and grandchildren, and just don't have the focus or energy anymore to think of and prepare art or craft projects for 3-5 year olds.

    Of course my problem is probably the same as yours: I need the $$ in order to have $$ to retire on (and to make Aliyah and not have to rummage through garbage cans...)

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  2. I work part-time. Now I get the bituach leumi, too, which together is like full-time at a low-paying job. American SS goes a long way in Israel.

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