sleepy-head

it can be fun to sleep in. Actually I prefer to be awake but lying in bed, perfectly relaxed, with nothing calling me out until I feel like getting up. I only like this, though, because it rarely happens. I savour the times that it does happen and live with the times it doesn't. Of course because I do enjoy the mornings, I'm not really loosing out by having to get out of bed (it can be hard for those first few early-morning-moments, though). But I remind myself during those times I have to get up that I did have a time in my life when I didn't have to get up in the mornings because I didn't have a job or any pressing responsibilities. During that period I longed for a reason to get out of bed.

I found a poem that I thought was interesting. It deals with the theme of the sluggard (note some Proverb references) and a few other Biblical ideas (it's by Isaac Watts, so what do you expect!)

The Sluggard

'Tis the voice of a sluggard; I heard him complain--
"You have waked me too soon; I must slumber again;"
As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed,
Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.
"A little more sleep, and a little more slumber"--
Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours wihout number;
And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands,
Or walks about saunt'ring, or trifling he stands.

I passed by his garden, and saw the wild brier
The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher;
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags;
And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs.
I made him a visit, still hoping to find
That he took better care for improving his mind;
He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking,
But he scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.

Said I then to my heart: "Here's a lesson for me;
That man's but a picture of what I might be;
But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,
Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.
-Isaa Watts