“Welcome to the lake. I’m so very glad you could join us this evening.”
You’re greeted at the front door of a charming lake house by a kind woman, warm and inviting. The house itself is like this woman, warm and inviting. So much so, that it is clearly her home.
“Put your bag here in the porch and then and come on out to the back deck. It’s such a nice evening, everyone is outside.”
As you step through the sliding glass door onto the deck, your eyes adjust to the dusk. The evening air is warm on your skin.
You take a deep breath, drawing the evening air into your lungs.
Hold it. And release.
There.
Now another deep breath, filling up your body with the fresh air.
Hold it. And release.
Ah.
One more deep breath in through your nose.
Hold it. And release.
The sun is low on the horizon and the still surface of the lake reflects the pink and orange clouds. It is a tranquil scene of dramatic beauty.
You can faintly smell the grass that was trimmed earlier in the day. You hear soft laughter from your friends on the lawn.
As we stand on the deck looking over the water, your eyes notice the fireflies twinkling in the night. Once you notice them, you begin to realize they are all around, flashing and blinking and twinkling.
They are enchanting to watch. A sense of peace settles around you as you watch their looping flight patterns. It’s almost as if they are dancing.
After a moment, you look back up at the setting sun and realize how much the color has shifted in just a few moments.
The bright, vibrant colors of a few moments ago have softened. The sun is lower now and the reflection has softened as well.
Some of the guests have gone home. It’s quieter now. There are just a few friends remaining.
These brave souls have just come out of the water and are shivering and telling you how warm it is. “You have to go for a swim.” they say.
The lake water does look so inviting. And the air is so warm.
Luckily, you have your swimsuit on under your clothes and we have a towel for you right here.
You strip off your clothes, lay them on a lawn chair and walk down to the water’s edge.
You step your toes in timidly, and you’re surprised how warm the water feels.
Any hesitation you had evaporates.
You step a bit further in. The water is lapping around your ankles now.
You pause and look out at the setting sun, drinking in the beauty of the night.
The shadows are growing deeper, but with the moon reflecting on the lake, and the porch light on the lake house, there’s enough light to see by.
You step further into the water, going deeper step by step.
The water passes your lower legs and tickles the underside of your knees.
You stop again and notice that you can see the shadowy shapes of little minnows darting and floating beneath the water at your ankles.
You’re not surprised then when you feel a little tickle after standing still for a moment. It’s just a little nibble from a tiny curious fish. With no teeth, this feels like little tickles, a little fishy kiss.
You move your legs and the little fish scatter. They don’t go far, you can see them already swimming back this way.
You move through the water, deeper still, and pause and stand up on your tip tip tippy toes as the water reaches your torso.
A few steps further, and you’re deep enough that your belly button is now submerged in the surprisingly warm water.
Then, all at once, you thrust forward and swim; straight out towards the sunset.
There is something magical about the way the cooler night air and the heat absorbed by the water during the day make for a warm swim after dark on a summer night.
The lake looks different in the moonlight. The water seems calmer and the echos seem to increase.
You swim with your eyes closed for a moment or two, focusing on the feeling of the water coursing over your body. Focusing on the night sounds that are beginning all around you.
When you open your eyes, you roll over onto your back. You float there, serenely, looking up at the stars spread above you. The clouds have moved on and the sky is mostly clear now.
There aren’t as many stars visible tonight as some nights. That’s just because the moon is so bright. But there are enough visible here, far away from the city lights to dazzle anyone who takes the time to really look.
As you float there, watching the stars, you see a shooting star and make a wish.You send your silent request out into the universe and feel a responding sense of peace and hopeful promise.
You have a sense of timelessness and weightlessness. You float there for an unknown time, spellbound by the stars. Your body floating effortlessly, gently rocking on the water’s surface.
You can feel the surface tension of the water. It makes looping paths around your body where the water meets the air. Little circles around your feet, your knees, your belly and your arms.
It’s most noticeable around your face, it passes just in front of your ears and around your chin and into your hair. The waterline undulates up and down in a hypnotic sensation.
Your breathing is slow and regular, maybe a bit deeper than normal. You are very relaxed.
After a few more moments, you roll over and start to slowly swim towards shore.
Taking your time, making slow strokes, looking at the camps along the lake shore, all lit up with evening activities inside. Some, like ours, with campfires burning in the front yard.
As you come back out of the water, the cooler air on your skin makes goosebumps. When you reach shore you quickly wrap your body in the fluffy oversize beach towel. Now you are the one shivering but exclaiming about the warmth of the water. Your friends, warm and dry by the fire, laugh as you run to the house with your clothes.
After you change into warm and comfy clothes inside, you come back out to the lake shore and sit with your friends by the fire.
The flames dance, orange and yellow. The heat warms your legs and face.
You watch the wavering colors and the red coals glowing and changing as the wood burns. It’s enthralling. The flames draw the eye and the attention like a magnet.
Someone hands you a marshmallow on a stick and you roast as many as your heart desires. Each one comes out perfectly golden brown. None of them catch fire and fall off your stick.
Someone has graham crackers and chocolate too.
The warm gooey marshmallow and chocolate warms your inside and the fire warms your outside.
You look around and notice the fireflies are still twinkling in the shadows around you.
The moon is high in the sky and the night has darkened a bit.
The lights in the camp next door just went out. Lights are blinking off one by one around the lake.
Our fire is burning low; the embers are glowing red, but the flames are shrinking.
You take the poker stick and move the embers around, watching the sparks and smoke rise from the coals.
The cool air replaces the warmth from the fire. As the coals turn dark and the last embers burn out, we leave the fireside and head indoors.
We made up a cozy bed on the porch just for you. There are warm blankets and a down comforter, soft sheets and a bunch of pillows. It’s oversize for a porch bed, but this porch has ample room for it.
The night air circles through the open windows. The curtains flutter in the breeze.
The first call of the loon startles you, but soon it becomes a chorus of calls, echoing across the lake as the loons call to each other. Their song makes a haunting melody that is strangely relaxing.
You lie on your back listening to the loons, relaxing your body. After a few moments you realize that you can feel again the gentle sway of the water just as when you lay on your back in the lake a short time ago.
Your body has stored the memory of the movement and you are reliving it as you drift off to sleep.
It is a most pleasant experience.
It’s almost as if you are being rocked to sleep. You feel the lapping of the water on your skin and the sensation of motion, floating as you lie there, wrapped warm in the blankets on this oversize bed, listening to the lullaby of the loons.
You smile slightly, but only slightly, because you’ve already crossed over that threshold between waking and sleeping and your thoughts are no longer fully conscious.
Your body relaxes completely as you cross into the land of dreams. Now the natural restorative and healing processes of sleep begin.
Goodnight my dear.
Sleep well.
Heather Mladek is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in sleep stories among other things.
Contact her at Heather@MadLakeCreativeInk.com for more information.