Naps

I was never a nap fan. When I was a little girl, my mother used to make us take naps every afternoon. I just pretended to sleep. Sometimes she would bribe us with a new toy. I wanted an Olive Oyl doll (from the Popeye cartoon), which she got me when I agreed to take a nap with her. I used to play a little game with metal hair clips on my fingers, pretending they were crippled and walking over the sheets.  I imagine my mother was exhausted taking care of 4 children under the age of 6. Nap time was a chance for her to take a break for an hour or so. I took a nap today, since I was feeling the effects of chemo on Monday. I slept for 4 hours, not one. I didn't need to fake sleep, it came readily. It was quite enjoyable, really, as the afternoon slipped into evening and suppertime and knitting group. There is research on the benefits of napping. I can agree that today it was a wonderful medicine. Now since the day is ending, I will crawl back under the covers and let myself continue to rest and heal.