Nap attacks

Each day around four o'clock, I have a nap attack. I generally crash for a couple hours and then life begins again. My doctor says it's my biological rhythms that are in force. All I know is that when it's nap time I can't keep my eyes open for anything.

When I was young--very young, of course--naps were an accepted part of the day. And then as I grew older, naps were rare events that only took place when my body was over tired from such things as traveling or working.

Then when I was pregnant, the afternoon nap became part of the ritual again. I used to nap with my kids on the living room floor. We would start out "resting" while we watched a Chicago Cubs game. Soon we'd all fade out for a while, waking later in time to watch the last couple innings. I kind of miss those days with my little kids asleep all around me.

Now I have the luxury of time to nap. When I get too tired for the old brain to function, I wander into the bedroom and crash. Sometimes when I have a plotting problem to work out or some other similar puzzle to deal with, I'll wake up from my nap with the answer as clear as crystal.

It seems a shame that our culture has become too hurry-scurry to take time for the nap. Maybe in the midst of our current economic revolution people will find the benefits of the occasional nap attack.

anny