Tonight, you're on a train.
A long one, heading west.
You've got a little sleeper room.
Just big enough for one.
The bunk is narrow.
Made up tight with a wool blanket.
A small pillow in a crisp white case.
Climb in.
Slide your feet down under the blanket.
There's a reading lamp by your head.
Click it off.
Now there's only the blue glow...
from the window shade.
For the next six minutes...
somebody else is driving.
You don't have to steer anything.
The train knows where it's going.
You can just lie here.
Your bag is on the little shelf.
Your shoes are tucked under the bunk.
Everything is where it should be.
Let your head settle into the pillow.
Let your eyes close.
Lift the shade an inch.
Just for a moment.
A small town station slides past.
One yellow light on a pole.
An empty bench.
Then it's gone.
Back into the dark.
Let your day go by like that.
One lit-up moment at a time.
This morning.
There it is...
and there it goes.
Lunch.
Whatever that was.
Sliding past the glass.
The drive home.
A quick flash of light.
Then dark again.
You don't get off at any of them.
They're just stops.
The train keeps going.
And tomorrow is Monday.
That's a station way down the line.
Hours from here.
Let the shade back down.
Gently.
Breathe in...
And out...
slow and easy.
Now just feel the train.
That gentle sway.
Left...
and right.
It rocks you, just a little.
Like a hand on a cradle.
And under you...
the wheels on the rails.
Steady and soft.
Over and over.
Let your breath fall in with it.
Breathe in...
for a few clicks of the wheels.
And out...
for a few more.
No counting needed.
Your body will find the rhythm.
People have always slept well on trains.
There's a reason for that.
The motion does half the work.
In...
with the sway.
Out...
with the rails.
Let your shoulders roll with the car.
You don't have to hold yourself still.
Let your hips go loose.
Let your feet flop to the sides.
A door opens somewhere down the hall.
Soft footsteps.
Then it clicks shut again.
Someone else heading to bed.
The whole car is settling in.
The blanket smells faintly like The cedar.
window is if cool...
you rest your hand near it.
Way up the front...
engineer is wide awake.
That's their job tonight.
Not Rocking...
yours.
and rolling on.
Farm fields go by in the dark.
You can't see them.
You don't need to.
Just the sway.
Just the rails.
Maybe a long, low bridge.
The sound goes hollow for a moment.
Then steady again.
Mile after you mile...
get heavier in The the bunk.
rhythm doesn't change.
It never needs anything from Your you.
blanket is warm.
The pillow has taken your shape.
The next town is still far off.
Let it stay far.
Breathing in...
And out...
The train rolls on through the night.
Rocked by the rails.
Carried along.
Let it carry you into sleep.
Goodnight.