Just go to sleep

Art, Faith, Suffering & Weakness 1 Minute

The need for sleep is a constant through all seasons of life. I am thankful for the times it has been a reward for a day well-lived, and I am thankful for the times it has been a respite from the day’s struggles and failures.

That said, I have also learned to not give too much credence to a negative self-evaluation of a given day. It is like how I would tell my student to not despair over a single failure. It is but a blot of ink in a much more magnificent narrative of growth.

A beloved priest told me 5 years ago: “God is like an impressionist painter. Up close you have no idea what he’s doing, but take a step back and you’ll see a masterpiece.”

Give that critical mind a rest and just go to sleep. 🙂

Now that the daylight dies away,
By all Thy grace and love,
Thee, Maker of the world, we pray
To watch our bed above.

Let dreams depart and phantoms fly,
The offspring of the night,
Keep us, like shrines, beneath Thine eye,
Pure in our foe’s despite.

(From the Compline in the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours)

Addendum: The doodle features some of my most memorable dreams: being chased by death eaters, traversing my college campus on a flying mattress, getting warded for COVID-19, and most recently giving birth to a baby boy at home during lockdown.

The “Stay-Home Artventure Passport” was originally created for my students here in Singapore. I’ve since adapted it for everyone else who’d like a creative (and surprisingly introspective) getaway. If you’d like a soft copy of the “passport” itself, leave your email address in the comments and I’ll send it to you for free. 

Next prompt: My favourite memory

Published by Karen Z.

Published

15 thoughts on “Just go to sleep”

  2. Sleep poems have been my weakness lately.

    I’m surprised how many are there. Is sleeping inherently poetic? Or are we all just drowsy and in that state everything sounds deep and meaningful?

    Maybe I’m just dreaming 🤔

    Haha, thanks for sharing! 😄

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  4. This is a wonderful post and I thank you for sharing. I also thank you for following my blog. Am trying to find a follow that I do not have to put my email in as I do not like to get a whole lot of those in my email. Sometimes that comes up and sometimes it doesn’t just when you are reading. When it does I will most assuredly follow yours. Until then, will be checking in. God Bless, SR

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    1. Thank you! I love “meeting” fellow Catholics from other parts of the world online. 🙂 Thank you for your lovely reflections too. I noticed that your ‘About Me’ page is blank (or rather, a WordPress default), though!

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      1. Haven’t really every really thought about that one. I will for you though. Let me get through these Didache writings and I will put it up. Having to do some research for the Didache post, so taking me some time. I love meeting Catholics also, and you to me, have such a beautiful soul. Thank you for that. God Bless, SR

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  5. I love the analogy the priest you’ve met made with God being and impressionist painter. This has lots of wisdom, thinking about his words. Great post! By the way please join my blog too, if you find it interesting – let’s grow together!😊

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