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Welcome to Sleepy Shorts Short Stories for
Bedtime. This podcast is brought to you

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by I have a story to tell
you that will help take your mind off

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all of your worries and cares.
Just listen and relax, then drift peacefully

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into sleep. It's time to turn
off the lights and snuggle into your bed.

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Find your most comfortable position there.
Now take a few seconds to relax

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your mind. It's time to sleep. Time to rest and rejuvenate our minds

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and bodies. In order to prepare
our bodies for sleep, let's do a

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couple of muscle relaxation and breathing exercises. I want you to inhale for account

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of three, and while doing so, tighten all of your muscles and inhale

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one two, three, Hold your
breath, keep your muscles tense. Now

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exhale to account of six. While
you relax all of your muscles one two,

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three, four, five six,
feel your body sinking deeper into your

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bed. Let's do this one more
time. Take a deep three second breath

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as you tighten your muscles, hold
it now, relax and exhale to account

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of six. Let your body sink
even deeper into your bed. Now it's

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time for your sleepy short Let me
help you fall asleep. A rainy mountain

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getaway. It was a quiet Saturday
morning in my neighborhood. Summer was over

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and the early autumn leaves very colorfully
decorated the streets. I live in a

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three story building in the center of
the city. It's near the main square,

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so I often spend mornings on my
balcony taking in a wonderful view of

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the city. I begin with a
steaming mug of my favorite brew. I

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bought my coffee pot during a trip
to Italy last year, and ever since,

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I prefer my breakfast the Italian way, simply a pastry and an espresso.

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Enjoying breakfast on my balcony while taking
in the view of the city is

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just spectacular. It had been a
particularly rough few days, with my head

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swimming, I knew it was time
for a break a getaway. Usually,

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when I feel the need for some
peace and quiet, I grab a good

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book and a blanket and curl up
on the sofa, or run a hot,

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relaxing bath, or sometimes take a
jog in the park. But this

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time I was looking for something different. While finishing up breakfast, I noticed

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some clouds building overhead, which would
more than likely mean rain later. From

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my vantage point, I could overhear
people talking and laughing in the streets below.

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Some of them seemed to be in
a hurry to finish their tasks before

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the rain kicked in. Song were
strolling along with dogs or children in tow

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I noticed the local bagel cellar assisting
several customers. I often chat with him

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in the mornings when I buy my
breakfast before work. I could also spot

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children playing in the park and riding
scooters and bikes a typical Saturday. The

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sound of my phone broke my peaceful
people watching. I ignored it. I

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wasn't in the mood to chat with
anyone at all. I just wanted to

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dedicate some time to myself. When
I eventually glanced at it to see who

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it called, I noticed a few
tiny raindrops on the screen. I had

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checked the weather forecast, and it
indicated that rain was likely the entire weekend.

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But instead of feeling gloomy about the
forecast, like a lot of people,

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perhaps would, it gave me an
idea. I decided to spend a

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rainy weekend alone in the mountains.
Many people don't really understand why I enjoy

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rain. It just makes me feel
so calm and relaxed. I loved everything

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about it, the smell, the
feel of it on my skin, and

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especially the quiet. The way the
sound of it seems to drown out everything

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else. It tends to clear the
streets, allowing one to enjoy a few

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precious moments of solitude in the midst
of a bustling city. I grabbed my

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backpack and threw in a couple hoodies
and pairs of sweats. I also packed

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my comfy soft pajamas, set my
phone to silent, and stepped outside.

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It had already started to drizzle.
The streets were empty, leaving just me

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and the rain. I quickly looked
up a bed and breakfast and made a

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reservation. I got to my car, threw in my backpack, and headed

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out towards my rural destination. The
mountains are only about a forty minute drive

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from the city. Although the time
flew by as I relaxed and enjoyed the

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ride, this trip was going to
be amazing. I soon arrived at the

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quaint b and b. It was
small, but cozy. The friendly innkeeper

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explained everything I needed to know and
sent me up to my room on the

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second floor. Although chilly outside,
I was surprised when I entered my room.

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A lit fireplace adorned the corner,
and the crackling sound of the flames

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put me right at east. The
room felt warm in spite of the chilly

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rain pelting the windows. I took
a warm shower to relax my muscles,

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then slipped into the thick, plush
bathrobe I found hanging on the back of

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the bathroom door and wrapped my hair
in a towel. I retrieved a pair

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of slippers from my bag and snuggled
my toes all the way in. Then

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I let myself sink into a soft
armchair next to the window. I noticed

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a coffee pot on the nightstand and
some herbal tea bags, so I made

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a cup of tea and drizzled in
a bit of honey. My next task

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involved finding a soothing playlist to have
on in the background. Music selected,

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I collapsed into the armchair with a
tea in my hand. I opened the

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window just a little in order to
feel the fresh mountain air. I inhaled

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the wonderful fragrance of evergreen trees and
wet earth with my eyes closed, I

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could more intensely experience the sounds and
smells all around me. The fresh mountain

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air, combined with a sweet aroma
of mountain wildflowers and the lovely fragrance of

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honey and herbal tea was a combination
that pleased all of my senses. The

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comforting, oaky scent of burning logs
and the radiating warmth of fire wrapped around

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me like a blanket. With no
phone buzzing and no one to interrupt me,

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I felt more relaxed than I had
in ages. I stayed in that

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position for quite some time with my
eyes closed. I experienced every muscle in

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my body relaxing as my mind began
to calm. In that moment, I

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could think of nothing but the sound
of the serene music and crackle of the

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fire. I wasn't aware of what
time I went to bed, but it

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was before ten PM. I woke
up at six the next next morning,

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feeling completely rested. I snucked down
to the hotel restaurant to order breakfast before

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the other guests in the hotel had
a chance to wake up. This weekend

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was all about me and me alone. I grabbed a cup of coffee and

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pancakes, then found my way outside
to the terrace to enjoy a spectacular view

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of the mountains. The evening rains
had given way to morning fog. I

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took in the view and enjoyed the
cool, crisp air as it contrasted with

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my steaming mug of hot coffee.
I believe it was hazelnut flavored, or

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was it caramel, I don't remember, but it tasted delicious. The gray

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and white morning clouds rolled around the
top of the mountain. I felt as

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if I could stare at them all
morning. After finishing my coffee, I

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went back to my room and changed
into my hiking clothes, grabbed my gear,

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and headed off into the mountains.
What seemed like thousands of tall trees

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and a million amazing flowers of every
color imaginable dotted the landscape. The birds

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serenading me with their lovely songs as
I walked, and the rain soaked grass

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licked the tops of my boots.
As I traveled deeper and deeper into the

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forest, the fog suddenly cleared and
a pristine lake came into view. In

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spite of being by myself, I'd
never felt more at peace and one with

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nature. I spent most of the
morning and that lush clearing in the woods

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next to that beautiful body of water. I remained there until the last possible

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second, then picked my way back
down the mountain towards the B and B.

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Before checkout, I packed my bag
and got into the car. I

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felt rejuvenated and full of the positive
energy I needed to face the upcoming challenges

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in my life. When I returned
home, I kept my phone turned off

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to enjoy the silence for a little
bit longer. The short trip made me

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realize that sometimes we all need to
spend some time alone just to sort through

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our thoughts and relax. Sometimes we
worry too much about others and care too

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little for ourselves. I plan on
taking more of these weekends away in order

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to unwind, resenter, and repair. They're vital to the well being of

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my body, mind, and spirit. Good Night, to to to to

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to to to to to to to
to to to to to to to to

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to to to to to to to
to toime to to to to to to

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to to to to to to to
to to to to toime to to my

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mind to to to to to to
talk. She tot