Below is the transcript for Season 1, Episode 114 of Freely Written, a podcast by author Susan Quilty:
Welcome to Freely Written, Sleep Edition, where a simple prompt leads to a little unplanned fiction and maybe a goodnight’s sleep.
[Light piano music]
Hi, friends. I’m Susan Quilty and today’s prompt is Soft Summer Rain.
I’m trying something new with today’s story: a quieter tone that may help you drift off to sleep. If you’re settling in for the evening, you can simply listen until you fall asleep. If you plan to listen and possibly take a nap, you may want to set a timer to wake you up.
As usual, I have written today’s story with no planning and very little editing, simply writing whatever came up as I sat down with my writing prompt. Today’s prompt was inspired by a rainy local authors’ event and the drowsiness that came after a pleasant day of sharing my books with new readers. If you’d like to know more about my novels, please visit SusanQuilty.com.
Otherwise, find a comfortable place to sit, lie back, get cozy, and settle in for this special sleep edition of Freely Written.
Soft Summer Rain
Sarah stepped onto her screened porch with care. Her cat, Mister Mittens, wove between her ankles before crossing the wooden boards and stretching himself on a sunny square of daylight. It was one of those strange, early summer days where the sun was shining as the rain continued to fall.
It was a warm day, slightly cooled by the gentle rain. Sarah’s cozy sweater allowed the perfect warmth as she settled into the thick cushions of her rocking recliner.
To her left, Sarah could see her lush backyard garden through the soft haze of the porch screen. A slender cherry tree reached its branches across her yard and toward the neighboring fence. One of its sturdiest branches held a simple rope and board swing, while another displayed a large set of windchimes with thick rods that produced mellow, softly echoing tones.
The gentle rain pattered against the trees’ leaves and onto the wooden roof above Sarah’s head. The sound was soothing as Sarah took a sip of tea. She leaned into the recliner, looking past her propped up legs to the spot where Mister Mittens curled himself into a loose puff of fur. His whiskers poked over one fuzzy paw and the tip of his tail lightly swayed in the sunlight.
Though Sarah’s spot was nestled in shade, the warmth of the day let her easily imagine how it might feel to sprawl like a cat in a large patch of sunlight. Her body at rest with nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.
In this moment, Sarah realized she was exactly like Mister Mittens. She had nowhere else to be and nothing else to do. She could settle into her cushioned recliner and simply rest, enjoying the sound of the soft summer rain and the warmth of her cozy porch.
As she closed her eyes, Sarah remembered how her mother used to tuck her into bed at night, saying it was time to rest from her toes to her nose.
She would say, “Your toes are tired from all your play. Goodnight, toes. And, oh, your feet are sleepy too. Do you feel your feet softening into your bed? Goodnight, feet. And goodnight, ankles. You’ve done so much to hold us up today.”
As Sarah’s mother shifted her goodnights through Sarah’s body, each place she mentioned would melt into easy sleep.
“Goodnight shins and calves, knees and thighs. Goodnight hips and belly. Enjoy your rest. Shoulders and chest, it’s time to relax. Goodnight to you. And to you, upper arms and lower, too. Goodnight to wrists, and hands, and busy fingers.
“Goodnight to the back of your neck and the front of your throat. Goodnight to your tired jaw and heavy eyes. Goodnight to the back, and crown, and fore of your head. Goodnight to the very tip of your nose.”
Sarah snuggled into her cushioned recliner, listening to the gentle patter of the soft summer rain. Her mind drifted as if floating between thin layers of wispy white clouds. She sensed the rain above her head and imagined the rain below, falling gently from the soft cloud that was her bed.
As she floated with the clouds, Sarah could see the flowers blooming in her garden and the very top leaves of her slender cherry tree. The sun continued to shine as the rain lightly fell. Double rainbows crossed the sky with promise of treasure at their far-off ends. Though Sarah felt no urge to chase pots of gold. She was content to drift with the clouds, knowing there was nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.
In this place above the world, there was no one else but Sarah herself. She looked at the beauty of the world below and imagined a world just as beautiful within herself. The flowering ideas of her mind, the rivers of energy flowing through her body, the golden sun at the heart of herself, radiating light and love and warmth through her chest and belly, and out to her fingers and toes, and up through her neck to the top of her head and to the tip of her nose.
As Sarah floated with the clouds, she felt their welcoming whispers. The clouds invited her to stay as long as she would like and return whenever she wanted. As Sarah’s breath mingled with the clouds around her, a bit of pure, soft cloud settled within her as well.
Sarah felt one with the soft summer rain as she listened to its gentle patter on the wooden roof above her head. She rested in the cozy warmth, aware of Mister Mittens curled in the nearby sunlight. She let herself rest, enjoying the sounds of the soft summer rain. Knowing that she carried the clouds within her and trusting that she could return to her daily life when the time was right.
The End
Thank you for listening and for trying something different with today’s story. I will return to my usual story style but do let me know if you liked this sleep edition of Freely Written. If so, I may explore some more sleep stories in the future.
We’ll have a softer sign off today, for those who may be asleep. As always, I encourage you to try a little free writing of your own. Let go of any planning and see where your imagination—and your wandering dreams—may take you.
