Tuesday, November 6, 2007

The Bed. Thebedthebedthebedthebed The.Bed.

The Bed. So did that title exhaust you and make you want to crawl into a nice warm, flannel sheet covered bed? Because really I can’t think of many things that feel better than a good bed. Seriously. But that isn’t really what this post is about. This post is about THIS Bed.



This bed which has been in my family for five generations. This bed, which is an original craftsman style. This bed, which has seen many transformations through the years. This bed, which is one of my most treasured possessions.


This bed belonged to my Great Grandfather; I don’t know when he got it. I don’t know if it was new or used or something he shipped over on a boat from somewhere – but it was his and maybe my Great Grandmother’s but again, I don’t know (why hasn’t anyone bothered to inform me of the little details about the bed? Doesn’t my family know I want to know about stuff like this? Details, I’m all about the details). Eventually the bed belonged to my mom (and I have no idea what happened to it from the time my great grandfather stopped sleeping in it until my mom started but let’s just say it went from him to her). And then when I was about 11 my sister and I started sleeping in it – with striped sheets because really a person needs to know if they are over the line and using more than their share of the bed! Ultimately, when I got the Brat (said in the most loving of voices – really) to realize she was old enough to sleep by herself in her own room the bed became mine – and mine alone – no more striped sheets either. I loved my bed. I loved the way it looked all dressed up with a fluffy comforter and a pile of pillows, sunlight streaming through the window and settling on the warm wood. My bed…


A few years ago the bed went to Alex where he slept in safety and comfort for three years. His time with the bed was short-lived. He graduated to a bigger bed last Spring when the bed became the property of the Lauren & Sydney and is once again sporting striped sheets (I’ve noticed Syd has a hard time staying on her side of the line – so far Lauren isn’t complaining but I know the day will come).


I can’t tell you how much this bed means to me. It is part of my heritage, a big part of my life and the lives of my friends. My closest friend, Roxann, cannot step foot in my home without visiting the bed and talking about all the days and nights we spent lying there planning our futures and spinning our dreams and talking about BOYS! The Bed – it’s been there through it all. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy knowing it carries my family’s history. I hope the bed will accompany at least one of my children to adulthood I’m not sure who is going to inherit the bed or if there will be a fight for it. My sister and I never fought for the bed – it is as if the bed adopts its new owner and from there it is just a given. The bed knows


So the bed, it’s been a big thing in my life and last night, after a long absence, I slept in the bed and it felt like home. Lauren has a terrible cold and she crawled into our bed. It wasn’t long before Syd was crying and wanting me to sleep with her. So rather than fight the battle at 1:00 a.m I crawled in with her and realized that the bed was still a good fit. I had a hard time falling asleep because I was so busy remembering bits and pieces of my life from when the bed was still mine. I mean technically it is still mine. I see it every day and lovingly dust and polish the headboard and foot board but it’s been a long time since I have actually spent a night in the bed and it really doesn’t BELONG to me anymore - today it belongs to my girls’. I hope they have as much fun as I did planning their lives and dreaming of their futures while lying in the bed. It’s a good place.

TTFN. May you have sweet dreams in your own little bed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

what an awesome post angie. what a great memory to record. :)

Maija said...

I sure do understand the allure of a bed!
Thanks for sharing a great sory about the BED.

Shirley said...

an awesome story and beautiful bed!