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Letters From North America |
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Every week, a new story. Every week, some new perspective on the rather bizarre life that we are all leading. Ah, well, someone’s got to do it, and I suppose the task happens to fall on me. This week’s topic is about sleep or napping. It was reported on the news the other day that Americans are working more and sleeping less these days. Well, hello. Who got the money for this great discovery? Wish I’d been in on that, I could have helped out a lot. The study goes on to say that because we are now a 24-hour society, we aren’t getting as much sleep as we were 25 or 30 years ago. I suppose a 24-hour society means that you can do something or another 24 hours of the day. On one hand I’d have to agree with that idea, but I would also add that not all of our society functions in this manner. For example, living in our part of the world is a whole lot less stressful than say living in New York City. Not that there’s anything wrong with New York City. It’s just that when you live in a large metropolitan area such as New York City or Chicago, you have to accept the fact that things are happening just about every minute of every hour of every day. That doesn’t necessarily hold true for many other parts of this country. For example, last night, I sat out on the porch with my next door neighbors, who were kind enough to cook for me since my wife was out of town. We had a great time, eating and talking and discussing the world’s problems and our own view of how they could be solved. Something I think we all engage in from time to time. Anyway, at one point the conversation just lapsed and the silence of the night just came over us. We all just sat for a few moments, each lost in our own private thoughts and listened to nature….the crickets, the wind blowing through the trees and whatever other little night noises that happen at that time of the evening. No traffic, no airplanes, no police cars or ambulances, just peace and quiet. After a few more minutes, I said my good-byes and left for the house. Now, I venture to say that there are still many, many places in this country where this activity occurs each and every evening. You just have to want it and find it. I think some of us are guilty of falling for the current pop concept that in order to enjoy life we have to live and exist in a 24-hour society. I could not disagree more. I think it was Patrick Henry who said…”Give me Liberty or give me Death.” What we have today is the ability to choose our liberty. We can make the choice of working 15-20 hour days for money that we can’t enjoy because we’re too tired. Or we can choose the liberty of enjoying life as it comes along and as we are living it. I’d bet we all know of someone who worked from can to can’t waiting to relax and rest when they retired. Then they retired and died very shortly thereafter. Not a cheery thought, but it’s reality. Did they enjoy a good night’s sleep while they were working so hard? Probably not. Whatever happened to the 30-hour workweek we all heard about years ago? If it came I must have missed it. I see too many folks busting their tails for more and more things that cost more and more to maintain and missing out on life while they are paying off their credit card debt. Their parents get old in front of them, their kids grow up and are gone and they missed what having kids was all about in the first place. By the time they decide to get going, it’s almost too late. Well, I propose that we establish a new national agency. The National Nap Commission. I’d like to be the Nap Czar. I would mandate that everyone and I mean everyone must take a nap each and every day. Wherever you are, you have to pull over, or put your head on your desk and snooze for at least 30 minutes. I think it’d be good for all of us, good for America. And as we know what’s good for America is good for the world. Wake up America! Or better yet…Hit the sack America…slow down, listen to the quiet. Get a nap. Get some sleep. It’ll get you going. I’ll make you a better person. It certainly will make you less of a grouch. It works for me. As always, send good comments to www.pearyperry.com. Send bad stuff to Peary Perry % Santa Claus at the North Pole. He keeps my mail when I’m traveling.
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