Even at 70 years old, I still believe if I’m not out of bed by 7:30am, I’m a loser.
What is that all about?
I hate to blame our mother, but I think I’m going to have to.
Our mom was the type of woman who got more done by 7:30am than most people do all day.
An adorable woman, she was also a hard-working single mom of four girls. Luckily our father was still very much in the pictures, living just 10 minutes away from us. On a regular basis our father would retrieve us and give mom a break from childcare.
But most of the time, mom had full responsibility. She ran the house, worked full time, was a sister to our gaggle of aunts, had a passion, a love for anything beautiful and was willing to work toward getting what she wanted, when she wanted it.
She did not like and did not raise idle children. Nor did she embrace lazy mornings.
Before my sisters and I realized it was morning, my mom would rise and shine making quick work of her morning routines. Of course, that routine would include making beds, making breakfast, sorting out clutter from the day before and getting herself ready for a full day of work and errands.
It would also include waking up her girls. She was a get up and get going woman.
Growing up our life revolved around two seasons; either school was in session, or it was summer vacation.
I can still recall when I was probably 12 or 13 and it was the first full day of the summer vacation. I stumbled out of bed and came downstairs still in my night shirt.
Of course, Mom was where she always was, downstairs, fully dressed, getting a meal together.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a full-to-overflowing laundry basket. This was before steam irons were used routinely. Instead, the clothes were sprinkled with a quick shower of water from a water bottle fitted with a metal attachment on top and a cork on the bottom to fit the bottle. Once the clothes were sprinkled with water, they were tightly rolled and put in the basket for ironing.
Close to where she was working on breakfast, I noticed a bucket, a bottle of vinegar and a bundle of old newspapers. That could only mean one thing, it was time to wash the 104 panes of glass (my sisters and I counted them one day) on the front of our house before she came home from work.
That was our work for the day. This was not a home, where children laid around all day, playing the 60s equivalent to video games, while mom worked. No indeed. We were up and moving. Getting it done. Checking it off the list.
So, I’m thinking because of our upbringing, I’m not a lay-in type of woman. However, I’m also not mad at this because in my adult life, I don’t resent working. My upbringing allows me to actually enjoy working.
And I must say, I do know how to relax and have a good time. Going out with friends or my partner. Or just staying home watching a TV program, scrolling YouTube, reading, shopping, movies, love it all.
But it was Beth (the other woman of TwoWomen) who ultimately taught me how to sleep in. Her life is very active too, but she is a master of the “sleep in.”
She plans them. Occasionally, she’ll tell me on Monday she’s planning to sleep in on Saturday. I find this impressive. And she does what she says she’s going to do.
As a grown woman, this is what I've learned from my younger sister.
1. Sleeping in is a great pleasure. When you sleep in, you give your body the chance to catch up on the rest it needs, leaving you feeling more refreshed and energized.
2. It gives you time to dream. Which can be fun. Sometimes during our dreams, we can solve problems or simply enjoy a fantasy.
3. No stress of rushing out of bed. We wake up early all the time for work, family, or other commitments. While sleeping in you wake up naturally. No annoying alarm clock to start your day.
4. It simply feels good. The day can go anywhere you want to take it.
So what I truly learned from Beth is that just like taking a bath, walking barefoot in the grass, listening to great music in the car, or staying in a luxurious hotel, sleeping in is a simple pleasure.
And who among us doesn’t LOVE and deserve a simple pleasure?
It's the cheapest luxury there is...and one of the best.