Good Night Sweet Prince

I can’t remember a night that I didn’t say “Good Night Sweet Prince” to myself just before dropping off to sleep.

I suspect that one of my parents was the first one to say it to me and it has rattled around in my head for decades. They probably looked at me while I was sleeping and couldn’t believe how angelic I looked when unconscious. I am equally sure that for them it was a silent prayer that I would sleep long and wake up relaxed and in a pleasant mood. Unfortunately for them, I was a kid and part of my job description was to make it so they never did get the proper amount of sleep.

Like I say, I don’t remember when I started to say “Good Night Sweet Prince”. I’d like to think that I looked in on my kids and let that phrase rattle around in their subconscious minds for a few decades, but I don’t think so. I do remember saying “Sleep tight and don’t let the bugs bite, but if they do hit them with a shoe until they are black and blue.” I’m going to have to ask them if they have irrational fears about being bitten by bugs while they slept and/or waging a war against the bugs only armed with foot wear. That is the stuff of nightmares.

I am one of those lucky few that have never suffered from insomnia and happen to fall asleep within minutes of the light going off and my head hitting a pillow. I have woken up sleeping on a mountain side of broken rocks. The key is to get as comfortable as possible and once your mind drifts off then your body will follow. I woke up in the doctor’s waiting room with my daughter and the doctor seeing who could stick the most Post It notes on my head and body. It was the laughter that woke me, not the sticky paper.

I do feel kind of stupid saying “Good Night Sweet Prince” to myself, but at this point in my life I don’t think I should take a chance that it has no real significance at all. I have often said to my insomniac friends that “Those who are pure of mind and body have no difficulty falling asleep.” I never reveal my secret though and never will. You are welcome to give it a try and if it works for you…keep it to yourself!