Describe one of your favorite moments.
I used to regularly spend Friday nights with my brother and his two children. For years Friday has been a form of Sabbath for me: no meetings or appointments, unless it was absolutely necessary or I felt a prompt that it was right to make an exception. Getting to have time with my niece and nephew made Friday evenings an exception.
It was almost a family ritual and like clockwork there would come a point in the evening when someone would be resting their eyes—while all other eyes were watching whichever movie had been chosen.
There would also be a point at which my niece cuddled up on the sofa with her Dad, and my nephew cuddled up with me. Precious times
Sitting comfortably
On a Friday last year, I sat on the sofa reminiscing about those times, while looking at my tall teenage nephew sitting on the footstool in front of me.
I told myself he was probably too old for/no longer into cuddling on the sofa with his Aunty, while secretly wishing for such a moment.
Then he looked back, as if checking there was room, and I said something like,
d’ya wanna?
while shifting to the right a bit.
There we all were, just like old times. His sister cuddled up with her Dad, my nephew with me. Our feet stretched out on the footstool—his almost hanging off!
And on this occasion, all four of us ended up resting our eyes until into the early hours.
Pen to Paper
I was so touched by the moment and the evening as a whole that I wrote about it in the form of a Haiku.
Lights blazing. Screensa-
ver saving. Sleeping beauties
where will you be at dawn?J M Whyne, 13 October 2023
Since September I had been writing a daily Haiku, prompted by something that had struck me during the day, so it was a natural go to.
However, the moment needed more than 17 syllables, so I extended it into a Haibun – my attempt at one.
All together now, still together now, being together now in one place. One sofa fits two. Two sofas make four. Satiated stomachs still savouring the lingering flavour of the finger licking feast. A Friday night go-to.
Time to settle in. Before too long the melody of deep breathing is doing the rounds. Legs sprawled, heads bowed, the rhythmic rise and fall of chests; signs of life. Hearts begin to beat as one, arm pillow becoming numb.
Remote out of reach and auto play is on. The perpetual canon of our late night chorus is almost complete. Eventually the last set of eyes surrender to slumber, together in unison.
Lights blazing. Screensa-
ver saving. Sleeping beauties
where will you be at dawn?
– J M Whyne, 13 October 2023