“Why do I keep waking up at 2:01 a.m. ?” I asked my Dr. yesterday. She said, “Well, it’s just what…we seem to do at our age.” Well, I thought, she looks pretty good, if she is indeed my age. Then I asked if she had any suggestions. She said, ” Well, what do you do now?” Sly, she turned the question around. I said, “I don’t drink coffee after 3 pm and I take two Advil. She said, “Okay, take three Advil.”. Yikes, I thought I was already taking too many Advils a day.
It seems so much bigger than just taking another Advil. I worry about Jeff, Kelly, Em, John, Sammie and Dave (my family). Oh, I’ll add in my mom and dad too ! I worry about the child who has just lost his home, the student who just came back from Mexico and suddenly is stymied by a vowel team. I think about my ‘sighing’ morning friend who worries every night about her class of thirty and also wonder why we are never laughing hysterically at lunch anymore. I think the future of public education is in jeopardy and wonder if anyone else notices that the rich are getting rich and the poor are getting very desperate.
Why do I wake up???? Okay, I’ll try the 3rd Advil and let you know tomorrow morning. Sweet dreams my 30 something friends, my 40 something friends… and my 50 something friends can start emailing me at 2:01 tomorrow night.
Two years and finishing strong... 
I can totally relate and I’m only 31! It’s the thoughts and worries that wake me and keep me up, and you captured that beautifully. I’ve had the talk with my doctor too, and longed for a sleeping pill that I could take after I woke up in the middle of the night, since I never really know when that will be. Good news. I just read about one. Can’t remember the name but it’s designed for those of us who can’t stay asleep. It supposedly lasts for about 4 hours. Just in case you were interested.
I’m definitely going to find out about that ! Thanks TGIF nanc
I don’t think it’s just the period of life you are in, your second paragraph reveals the truer reason. Teachers cannot turn off their brain from caring for everyone. We worry, we ponder, and we don’t sleep as well as we used to. I’ve accepted that, so now I just watch TV a little and it puts me back to sleep for another period of time.