Counting Down Sleeps

I shared a version of this reflection with my coworkers at Coastal Hospice as part of our ongoing weekday inspirational calls. I am thankful for those calls where I can hear the reflections and prayers of my colleagues as well as take the time to reflect and write from my heart.

When I was young, my paternal grandmother was the epitome of a grandmother. She baked my favorite cookies. She read me bedtime stories. She rocked dolls and ate pretend meals cooked up by my sister and me. She took us to church each Sunday. She loved her grandchildren fiercely.

Sadly, I never had the privilege of living close to either set of my grandparents. Instead we would spend about a month each summer with each side of the family. While I didn’t see my grandparents on a daily basis, I was part of their daily lives for a month each summer and then for shorter visits throughout the year.

In order to help her grandchildren prepare for an upcoming event, my grandmother taught us to countdown the sleeps until a big day. Instead of how many days until we visited, we would be asked how many sleeps until a visit?

I have attempted to pass this way of anticipating an upcoming exciting event down to my niece and nephew. I want them to know the same excitement I felt as a child when I was too excited to sleep when waiting for something good to happen.

And recently my heart was warmed and I began to feel that same excitement when my mother said, how many more sleeps? I did the countdown and shared the number.

My mother’s question is a reminder that we are never too old to count down sleeps in anticipation of something which is worth the wait!

You are welcome to borrow our family ritual and start counting down the sleeps. Or create a ritual of your own that helps you feel that sense of excitement as you prepare yourself for someone or something worth the wait!

God, We want things instantly. We are not good at waiting. Slow us down. Remind us that waiting is preparing. In waiting we may learn. Help us to move from our time to your time and trust in your goodness. Give us patience in a world that doesn’t always have time for patience. Slow us down as we begin to count toward those things and people worth the wait. Amen.