I Wanted Everyone to Sleep Earlier

Dear Delyara, Not because I was angry with them. Because I wanted the house back. That sounds harsher than I mean it. Still, by a certain hour, I can feel the whole of me leaning toward the quiet. Not because I dislike my family. Because I miss existing without immediate access. The later the children stay up, the longer the house stays emotionally lit. Questions, feet, water bottles, one more snack, one more story, one more thing to locate, soothe, decide, or answer. Tonight I kept glancing at the clock, not because I’m strict, but because I was longing for the hour when no one needed my voice anymore. That longing felt very human. And very private.