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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 date night. As

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soon as I walk through the entryway
of my house, I can feel the

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weight in my shoulders shift, creating
room for me to breathe. The front

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door can act as a yoga instructor
in that way, reminding me to loosen

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up. I set my work bag
down and close my eyes, taking in

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a deep breath and allowing my mind
to reset and focus on the evening in

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front of me. I smile.
I've been waiting all week for a night

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to myself. I walk into my
bedroom and ease out of my work clothes,

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letting them fall lightly to the floor
in front of me. Freed from

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the constraints of my stuffy clothing,
I make my way into the bathroom.

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There, the plush Volua robe my
mother gave me for my birthday hangs quietly

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awaiting my arrival. I wrap it
around my body, letting the luxuriousness of

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its soft comfort enveloped me, pulling
me into a deep hug. I leave

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the bathroom and make my way into
the kitchen, allowing my feet to make

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contact with a cool wooden floor.
The sound echoes softly across the open floor

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plant, reminding me that I have
the house to myself. To night,

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a bottle of Cabernet calls my name
from the wine rack, and I am

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more than happy to oblige. I
grab the wine key and plunge it into

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the cork, allowing myself to take
in the sound of the bottle's soft pop.

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Tonight I am going to enjoy every
moment. I tip the bottle and

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gaze at the translucent red liquid splashing
the end of my glass. The sweet

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aroma floats gently to my nose,
teasing my senses. I bring the wine

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to my lips and take a sip, attempting to pinpoint the various flavors.

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A burst of black cherry washes across
my tongue, making way to a hint

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of plum and vanilla. The wine's
rich flavors make me feel completely indulged.

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I place the glass back on the
countertop, not wanting to enjoy too much

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too fast. Tonight is about savoring. I pull a small pot out of

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the cabinet and fill it with water, then place it on the stove to

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begin boiling. The bag of pasta
sits on the counter where I left it

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this morning, waiting to be opened
and prepared. Anticipation mounts as I watch

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the steam rise from the pot,
while imagining myself sinking into a similarly steamy

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bath. Later on, the water
bubbles, beckoning me to add the noodles,

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which I do. I toss in
a generous handful and slowly stir.

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I bring the wine to my lips
again. It's a perfect pairing for pennay

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Ala vodka. The timer on the
stove dings and I drain the pot.

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The vodka sauce is smooth and creamy, and it spreads easily across the pasta

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and down on to my plate.
I take my seat at the kitchen table

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to enjoy my dinner. The soft
flicker of the candle dances across the walls,

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keeping me company as I savor my
meal. The wine is warm and

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inviting, a perfect companion on this
date night. I take my time,

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enjoying every bite before moving on to
the next. It isn't often that I

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have the chance to live life in
slow motion, paying close attention to every

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moment, and I feel it is
my duty to make the most of it.

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After cleaning up from dinner, I
walk back into the bathroom, placing

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my glass of wine on the vanity. The bathtub summons me to its side,

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practically begging to be filled. I
plug the drain and turn on the

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water. It isn't long before steam
rises from the surface. A variety of

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salts and essential oils perch patiently on
the ledge of the tub. To night,

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I simply need to rest. I
select camemel and lavender and drip them

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into my candled fuser, allowing them
to fill the room with their calming effects.

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The dead sea salts are the first
addition to the steaming bath water,

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followed by a cup of epsom salts. I desire to both ease the tension

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in my muscles and soak up the
minerals of the ocean. I mix my

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salts into the bath water as it
continues to rise, preparing for me to

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fill it. Bubble bath provides the
final touch, frothing and foaming at the

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base of the water flowing from the
faucet perfection. As the bubbles continue to

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rise up around the edges of the
water, I let the robe slip onto

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the floor and I sink into the
tub, finally able to enjoy the fruits

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of my labor. The warm water
blankets my body, releasing tension by the

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inch as I sink lower and lower
as I may contact with the bottom of

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the tub. I lean my head
back and close my eyes, taking in

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the moment. I direct attention to
my feet, tensing and relaxing them,

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ridding them of the stress they endured
from the day. Next, I move

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my attention to my calves, squeezing
and releasing. I continue this process,

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tensing and relaxing the muscles, first
in my legs, then in my torso,

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my back and neck, arms and
hands. Each time I release,

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I imagine the stress exiting my body, leaving me more and more relaxed.

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With each squeeze and release, I
remain still for a few minutes, longer

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enjoying each moment my body relaxes into
the water. I opened my eyes and

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ask Alexa to play classical piano music. Debucy fills my small bathroom with the

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elegance of reverie. My chest loosens, the last thing to let go of

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the anxiety that lived there all day. It is completely freeing. Each note

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of the piano lulls me deeper into
a state of complete relaxation, allowing me

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to clear my head and reflect on
the day. The quiet that surrounds me

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reminds me to be thankful for an
understanding spouse, one who leaves the house

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every so often to enable a night
like this one. The warm water that

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hugs my body reminds me to be
grateful for its presence and a career that

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helps me keep the water running.
The volor robe lying on the floor next

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to me reminds me to be thankful
for a giving and thoughtful family. I

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take another deep breath and return my
focus to the music. I hear the

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last few notes of Reverie before my
bathroom becomes a venue for Beethoven's Piano Sonata.

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Its beauty is both captivating and mesmerizing, seducing me into a deeper state

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of relaxation with each note. It
reminds me to be thankful for talented musicians

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who fill my home and my heart
with emotions I may never quite understand.

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These are the nights I live for
now, a date night with myself.

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I return my attention to the bath
water that laps over my arms and legs.

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The bubbles crackle softly, popping slowly
with each movement of my body.

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I'm not sure if it's the minerals
in the salts, or the soothing properties

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of the aromatherapy, or just the
relaxing nature of warm water. But nothing

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soothes my soul quite like an evening
bath. I am reminded that life is

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lived in the present, and in
this moment, everything is sublime. I

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pick up my glass of wine and
draw it to my lips once more,

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taking another slow sip. It reminds
me of my first date of young love,

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of everything that is right in the
world. It reminds me to stop

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and slow down, take in everything
carefully before moving on. My eyes grow

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heavy, signaling it's time to get
out of the bath and prepare for bed.

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I pull myself out of the tub
and wrap the robe back around my

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body. Its soft fibers envelop me
in their warmth, soothing me towards a

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RESTful sleep. Flannel pajamas await me
at the foot of my bed, their

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soft, thick material like a blanket
unto themselves. I crawl into bed,

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pulling the thick comforter up to my
neck. I allow the piano music to

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continue to play as I return my
focus to my breath. As my mind

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clears once again, removing any remnants
of stress and frustration. I reflect on

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my evening. Finally, eyes closed, I thank myself for another excellent date

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night with me. Good Night,