I'm not a napper. Not a regular one anyway. My disdain for napping started when I was a child. I was forced to nap, like every kid. As I lay on my bed, wide awake, I felt powerless. My parents controlled every aspect of my life, even my consciousness. Don't they understand that I don't want to nap? I'm not tired. Finally, sleep would come and the next thing I knew my mother was shaking me awake saying "Get out of bed." Really? It was like some sort of sadistic game they played. Go to sleep, wake up, go to sleep, wake up. Alright already, I'm up! What am I? Your puppet?
Once I got older I took matters into my own hands. Napping became an accidental affair. If I happened to fall asleep while reading or watching TV, so be it. It was rarely intentional. Not only do I feel like I'm missing out on things while sleeping the day away, I just generally feel like crap after a nap. My brain is foggy and I have no energy. It ruins the rest of the day for me.
I realize I'm in the minority. People love naps. Some people say the word nap as though they were talking about orgasms. " I love naps." "I couldn't live without my naps." There are people I know who treat naps as ritual affairs. My mother did. She took one every day. Draw the drapes, shut the doors and everybody be quiet. This felt like control to me too. Shhhh, be quiet, I'm sleeping. The world of the waking must stand still while I am napping.
Now that I'm not so young anymore my body is betraying me. Once again bowing to forces beyond my control. I can no longer resist taking a nap here and there. I don't like it but my body demands it. Curse you naps. Don't you know I have things to do?
