Goodnight, Little Light

The day is done. The lights are sleepy.

Goodnight, kitchen light. You cooked with us all evening. Click. Sleep well.

Goodnight, hallway light. You showed us the way to bed. Click. Sleep well.

Goodnight, bathroom light. You watched us brush — up, down, up, down. Click. Sleep well.

Now the house is full of the soft, quiet dark.

Do you know what the dark is?

The dark is the blanket the lights pull up when they are tired. Lights work hard all day. Even lights need to rest.

Goodnight, little bedside lamp. You waited until the end of the story. You always do. Click. Sleep well.

Shhh.

Listen.

The fan is humming its one small song. The house is breathing slow. Everyone you love is close by.

And look — up in the window.

The moon is still on.

The moon is the night light for the whole world, and it never clicks off, not once, not all night long. It leaves a little silver on the windowsill, just for you.

Goodnight, wide world.

Goodnight, soft dark.

Goodnight, little light of mine. Sleep well.