Blog 3943 – 09.09.2026

Sleep

In Act 2, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s renowned play Macbeth is the famous line, “Sleep that knits the raveled sleeve of care.” Macbeth is sleep deprived for he cannot stop thinking of what he has done. Insomnia, the inability to sleep, is a very debilitating disease that makes life intolerable.

It is ever surprising how much easier it is to face even the most trying situations after a good night’s sleep. When we are tired the burdens seem so much harder to bear. At every age from childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, to elderly we have a host of challenges to face and they are every one of them easier to face after a good night’s rest. 

We live in a world of shattered nerves and raveled sleeves that need knitting. As I was trying to calm myself last night after a particularly stressful day the words of an old song that I learned as a boy came to me and helped me to relax and to fall asleep:

“Peace, peace, wonderful peace

Coming down from the father above

Sweep over my spirit forever I pray

In fathomless billows of love.”

Sweet dreams, weary pilgrims!

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David James White