Jan 12, 2012
A Mother's Ear
I am startled awake.
I lay still, holding my breath, listening. Was it a squeak? A cry? A "mommy!"?
If it comes again I go to her, whichever her it is. Retucking, hugging, soothing.
I do sleep. Sometimes it is restless, tossing and turning, but not always. I sleep, but every night it is with one ear open. Listening. Waiting.
Did she have a bad dream? Does her shivering body need to be covered? Did she lose her pacifier? Or does she just need another tuck in and reminder that it is still night-night time?
I sleep, but even in my deepest sleep my ears are awake, ready for her call. I do not sleep through it. I can not sleep through it. And if she needs me, I go to her.
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Linking up with Mama Kat's Famous Writer's Workshop.
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My mother's ear use to be fantastic, now that they are grown, I can sleep through any thing. Visiting from Mamakat.
ReplyDeleteWith teenagers, my Mom hearing during the night has lessened, but not disappeared. Chances are if they don't feel good in the night and get up looking tylenol, I will meet them in the kitchen to help get cold water. That's only slightly because the stairs they travel down make up one of my bedroom walls. The other part is totally the Mom gene. I've got it and I use it!
ReplyDeleteI used to be the deepest sleeper, but now, my "mother's ear" hears EVERYTHING!
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