New Year's Rest-olution

I could still recall the countless all-nighters – consistently yawning my way through college and work. I never thought about my rest at all. All I knew was that I needed to graduate, and I needed to make money. What I didn’t realize was that sleep deprivation was slowly killing me in the process. Thankfully, my rest nightmare would soon come to an end.

It was New Year’s Eve – just a few days ago actually. The walls at my workplace were plastered with holiday posters and quotes, but I didn’t feel the 2022 spirit at all. My eyelids were as heavy as bricks, like they needed to be taped open, and my body reached high fever temperatures. The squishy sounds of the drench mop slapping the marble floors echoed throughout the deserted office. It was only me and God in that building.

Once final cleanups concluded, I strolled to the electronic swipe timecard on the wall to clock out. Our work schedules were stapled beside the timecard. I gaped at it for a brief moment, somewhat in disbelief. I was scheduled to be off work since 6:00 p.m. My eyes quickly scanned the building and found the nearest wall clock. It was 11:56 p.m. I shook my head in disgust and disappointment then clocked out for the night.

CLICK! The padlock shouted as I secured the building. Just when I turned and headed for the lone car in the massive parking lot, a flurry of fireworks froze me in my tracks and decorated the midnight sky. Nearby cheers could even be heard. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me that I was being overworked during a night like this. I speed walked to my vehicle, yanked open the door and slammed it shut. Dead silence filled the car for a few moments, but another wave of fireworks shot at the stars. I let out an exhale so deep that the dust particles on my dashboard flew around the car. I tried to hold it together… but I couldn’t.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The car screamed as I continuously took my frustration out on the innocent steering wheel in front of me. Somehow the celebrations flipped a switch in my body that turned on the water works. Tears ran down my face like a track race. A few feet away, a vagabond was awakened by the repeated honking. He watched me vent from afar before approaching the car. He gently tapped on the glass. I turned and looked but could only see a blurred silhouette of a man. I swiftly threw my face into my shoulder and wiped my eyes dry, then looked again. A dirty, yet pleasant man stared at me with a welcoming smile. I forced a smile through the pain and rolled down the window.

“I’m sorry sir, I don’t have any mon—”

The man held up his hand like a crossing guard signaling a stop. I zipped my mouth.

“Not the best way to start off a New Year,” the man said. “You don’t look so good. Are you okay?”

I scoffed as I continued to rub my eyes dry.

“I’m fine,” I responded with a reassuring smile. “Just tired is all.”

“I bet!” he said. “The bags under your eyes look big enough to carry groceries! You need to prioritize your rest and not some job. Your boss and other employees are home with their families for the holiday. And you?”

I shook my head in hesitant agreement, then started the car.

“What made you come over and talk to me?” I questioned.

“I was over there prioritizing my rest and you woke me up with that loud horn,” he replied as he pointed to the bus stop bench covered with a sheet and single pillow. “Looked like you could use some advice, so I came over.”

I chuckled a bit. A small spark of joy showed on my face for the first time in a while. Just the thought of a stranger actually caring about me gave me chills. I pushed my car in gear and extended my fist toward the man.

“Thanks a lot, sir,” I said as I smiled at him. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year to you, too,” he responded.

He turned and headed for his bed, and I accelerated out of the parking lot and onto the street.

The door creaked as I attempted to quietly enter my house. To my immediate left was my mother, snoring on the couch after hours of waiting for me. Her body suddenly fidgeted. I halted, but her snores returned and reassured me that she was still asleep. My dinner plate was still on the table, as cold as ice. My appetite had vanished and the need to vent became greater and greater, so I dashed upstairs to my bedroom.

Shoes, hangers, and boxes flew around the room as I tried to locate my journal I hadn’t seen in forever. It was nowhere in the closet, so I check under the bed. I yanked out a small, dusty bin and pried open the top. Various books, folders, and papers stared back at me. I dug and dug, but to no avail. Just as I was about to get up, a reflective bookmark beneath everything caught my peripheral vision. Without a second thought, I flipped the bin upside down and dumped everything onto the carpet. Atop everything else sat my dusty journal. I grabbed it and smacked the filth off of it, then rose and sat at my study desk. I politely set the journal down, grabbed a nearby pen, and stared at the book for a few moments. Finally, after a deep breath, I cracked open the journal and put pen to paper.

“Dear Journal, even in a new year I don’t feel any different. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t exhausted right now. They overwork me with little to no pay raise, my sleep schedule’s been messed up for months now, and I even missed New Year’s Dinner with my mom. I have realized that I give more to others than I give to myself, and that’s just unfair. But no longer will I disrespect my body, for it is the temple of the Lord, as it states in the Bible. Heck, even God rested on the seventh day, so who am I to work seven days a week for a company that doesn’t even care about my well-being? From now on, I refuse to accept job positions, party invitations, overtime hours, or anything else that is detrimental to my rest. This year, I vow to put myself and my sleep FIRST,” I wrote as I yawned loudly.

“The first change I want to make is sacrifice. The only way I’ll be able to properly tend to my rest is to sacrifice some things. This could mean giving up a night at the club with friends, or taking time from scrolling on social media, or even taking a day off from work. These few sacrifices can significantly decrease my fatigue level throughout the day, which would be one step closer to a gentler 2022. Another thing I want to correct is my sleep schedule. Due to countless hours of work, I just sleep whenever I don’t have work, which is VERY RARE. This results in an average sleeping time of around four hours per night, which is simply a disservice to my body. Additionally, I plan to demand a lighter work schedule, mainly because sleep deprivation can kill you. What good is breaking down your body for money you won’t be able to use if you kill yourself to get it? I try to remind myself that our bodies are much like a phone – if you don’t charge it, it’ll eventually die. If I continuously refuse to charge my body with much needed rest now, sooner or later it will have an eternity to rest in peace. I also plan t—”

Mom opened the door and peeped inside.

“Oh, I didn’t hear you come home,” she said as she rubbed her eyes. “How was work?”

I released my pen and rotated toward her in the chair.

“Worked a 12-hour shift today,” I replied. “It was horrible. Sorry I missed dinner. I’ll re-heat that in the morning for breakfast. I’m just finishing this up before bed.”

Mom’s eyes widened and she nodded as she closed the door.

“Goodnight, son. Rest yourself.”

I smiled lightly, turned back to my desk, and scooped up my pen.

“I also plan to be asleep by 11:00 p.m. nightly. This would be a massive step toward a more restful year, especially because my body has never received that much rest in years. It would significantly improve my mood, productivity, immune system, memory, and much more. In addition to sleeping earlier, I intend to try a better sleeping position. I read that it’s best to sleep on your side, but most nights I sleep on my back, stomach, or however my body ends up throughout the night. This is bad for my spine, which not only leads to bad sleep, but also a bad back. Besides sleeping, I’d love to begin working out again. Hitting the gym can truly increase nearly everything in your life – strength, attitude, health, memory, and countless others.”

“Also, speaking of exercise, I really want to begin the year with an introduction to yoga and meditation. These two are known as some of the best relaxation methods there is. Yoga improves strength and balance, helps the heart, and combats back pains, and of course, helps you sleep better. On the other hand, meditation increases patience, creativity, manages stress, and reduces negative emotions. If those benefits aren’t enough to fit yoga and meditation into my daily routine, then I don’t know what is.”

“Oh, and I can’t forget the fun! Rest doesn’t only comprise of sleeping – it also means relaxing, too. I’ve robbed myself of many relaxing activities that brought me joy, and I refuse to do it again this year. One of my resting goals is to watch AT LEAST one hour of my favorite television show every day. I want time to myself where I can just lay in bed and do nothing but be entertained. A daily hour of entertainment could definitely increase my mood, and it would give me something to look forward to when I get home from work.”

“Last but definitely not least, I plan to upgrade my mattress this year. A restful night all starts with your mattress. For the past few months, I’ve been sleeping on an air mattress. I’m grateful, of course, but I’d love to be grateful, rested, and free of back pains. I just can’t afford it right now, but I will be able to soon. Oftentimes, the first week of the new year is amazing and all goals are kept, but as time goes on, the goals drop one by one. My mission is to stick to every goal I set for myself so I can truly prioritize my rest. Achieving this would be a dream come tru--”

Out of nowhere, my head dropped onto the table like it weighed a ton, and I was fast asleep.

RING! RING! RING! My head shot up from the table and I wiped the falling dribble with my shirt. The clock read 8:05 a.m. It was my boss, but what could she possibly want this early? Hesitantly, I answered the phone.

“Hell--”

“Reggie, thank goodness you picked up,” she exclaimed. “I need you to come in for 9:30 a.m. Paul called off his shift.”

I paused in disbelief. I couldn’t tell if she was serious or not.

“I didn’t get home until around two this morning closing up,” I responded. “Isn’t there anyone else that ca—”

“Come in for the 9:30 shift, or don’t come at all,” she said before hanging up on me.

I sat in silence for a few minutes before getting ready. Just before I left for work, I sat at the study desk and opened my laptop. My fingers went to town on that keyboard.

After nearly an hour of speeding on the freeway, I pulled into the parking lot at 9:35 a.m. I strolled into the building with two envelopes in my hand. My boss quickly approached me.

“You’re late, but at least you still have your job,” she said as she pointed at the electronic timecard. “Clock in and—”

“I quit,” I said as I handed her the envelope.

Her mouth dropped, and anger and embarrassment filled her face. She snatched the envelope from my hand.

“You really drove all this way just to quit?” she questioned. “You could’ve done that via email!”

“I didn’t come here for you,” I stated as I walked toward the exit. “It was just convenient because you were nearby. Happy New Year… boss.”

I smiled and walked toward the bus bench with my head held high. I held the second envelope with care, and I could see the man from last night wrapped up in his sheet.

“He really prioritizes his rest,” I chuckled to myself.

I approached him on the bench and smiled down at his unconscious body. I quickly pulled a pen from pocket and wrote on the front of the envelope then gently shoved it under his still body. With one last stare and smile, I headed for my car in the parking lot. Once I hopped in, I abused the steering wheel once again. But this time, with joy.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The man’s body slowly rose from the bench, and he looked around in confusion. The envelope fell to the ground and caught his attention. He grabbed it and made out the words on the front.

“Thank you for helping me realize the importance of not only prioritizing rest but respecting myself in the process. I wanted to help you in return.”

A smile grew on his face. He looked around and eventually spotted me in my car. His smile became even bigger, as if he was happy to see me in better spirits just hours later. As he began to open the envelope, I started the car and put it into gear. Suddenly, his mouth dropped open, and his eyes began to sweat excessively as he stared at half of my last paycheck in cash. I rolled down my window and waved as I slowly pulled out of the parking lot. He waved, too.

“Happy New Year!” I screamed as I pulled onto the street. “Thanks a million!”

He continued to wave, cry, and smile until my car was no longer in sight. After securing the envelope in his jacket, he laid back on the bench to prioritize his rest, and I headed home to prioritize mine.