Insomniac Elders

Sometimes, when we get home late, we walk in on our elders stubbornly squinting & trying to stay awake over late night TV or silly knick-knack. That's what they say, that it's a cool show to watch.

We know better. They've been up so late because they've been waiting for us to get home.

We tuck them in bed, and coax them to rest their eyes. We might lay parallel to them or drag a chair beside the bed. Maybe we just dim the lights and leave the room after bidding them good night. We assure ourselves that we've been the good children for putting our elders in a place where they should be, in that hour of the night.

Have you noticed how difficult it is for them to fall asleep?

One day, out of curiosity and deliberation, a limb is added to break the parallelism and distance. Let's cross an arm over their chests, or touch a foot with theirs, or maybe even rest our fingers on their temples, in a soothing massage. Or a lighthearted caress.

Ever noticed how quickly they'd drift to sleep?

3 afterthinkers:

coralbead said...

touch really comforts, no doubt about it!

cairo, lusaka, amsterdam said...

Really nice post :) I totally agree, elders pretend they're up watching something when they're really waiting for the younger ones to get home so they know they're safe.

Hning said...

Coral,
And chocolate and comfort food too.

CLA,
Tugs on you with guilt, doesn't it? The extroverted ones might henpeck, the quiet ones might raise an eyebrow or sniff at whatever the outside world has left on us..either ways, it's nice to be waited for.