The month is November and for now, many of the sleep villains I fight against are at bay although I’ve seen a new bad guy popping up. Wrestler Leg Syndrome. I’m back to the drawing board at coming up with ways to defeat The Syndrome. He is a bull in a china shop type sleeper. Spinning, flipping, and keeping everybody in bed awake! While I plot and strategize, I wanted to take a moment to slow down like I do every Thanksgiving and try to live from an attitude of gratitude.

One thing better sleep over a long period of time has taught me is when we are exhausted, we are at risk to take things for granted. Lots of different things! I have also learned through my service in the Kiwanis and Exchange Clubs that not everybody gets to sleep in ideal conditions. Far from it. There are many people who have sleeping conditions that guarantee no sleep will occur. And I have learned how much harder people’s lives are compared to my own. For instance, I delivered a mattress set to a local veteran who had lost both of his legs in the service. This was many years ago as he is now an elderly man. And as we set up his mattress set and some basic furniture, I could see how difficult it was for him to do chores. Picking up items on the floor, dusting, doing laundry, and the list goes on. Then I turn around and procrastinate doing my own chores because of some lame excuse like I feel like I deserve to relax more and shrug my chores off.

But now it’s different. I no longer procrastinate. I view my chore list with gratitude. I get to do my laundry. I load it up into a hamper, march it over to the machines, and two-ish hours later it’s all folded and put away. Same with the dishes!

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