[0:01 - 2:05] Hello, and welcome to SoothingPod Sleep Stories.
I am Chris, and if you are here today to listen
to a dreamy story that will sooth you and
comfort you, you are in the right place.
Tonight, I will guide you to a night of
restful sleep as I tell you the story of love
sparking in a small mountain town. We will follow
Charlotte as she wanders down snow coated streets
aglow with the candlelight flickering in old
store windows. We’ll join her as she navigates
the simplicity of small towns with peace and
love in her heart. And, perhaps the sweetest of
all – we will watch as she falls in love with
a man full of compassion, love, and respect.
Before we begin, let us take a moment to find
comfort and peace in the space we are in now.
Lay down in a position that is
kind to your body and your mind.
Can you feel yourself sinking into the mattress?
Can you feel the soft pillow cradling your head,
giving you a safe place to relax after a long day?
So often, we feel too busy to care for our bodies
or give them the love that they deserve. But here
and now, there is plenty of time to give yourself
care. There is no rush, there are no expectations,
there is nothing you need to
do except be kind to yourself.
Imagine a light around your body.
It can be any color your desire.
Take a moment to really, truly see the light
around your body. Slowly imagine that light
[2:05 - 4:16] traveling over your body. As it travels,
pay attention to how your body feels.
First, picture the light
starting around your head.
Are the muscles in your face relaxed, or are
they rigid? Is your jaw clenched or relaxed?
Whatever tension you are holding in your
head, you are fully capable of letting it go.
Picture that light pulling
the tension from your jaw,
face, and forehead, leaving that
part of your body completely relaxed.
Next, follow that light down your shoulders
and arms. Feel as the light travels from the
tips of your fingers on your left hand all the
way to the tips of your fingers on your right.
As the light travels to your chest, allow
it to untangle whatever strings of stress
may reside there. Feel as the light
pulls the heaviness away from your body.
Follow that light down your hips and
legs, soothing each exhausted muscle.
Feel as the light journeys down your thigh, down
your calves, and through to the tips of your toes.
With your body fully unwound, and the
thoughts of the day behind you, let us begin.
Charlotte’s breath fogged up the train window.
Beyond the frosty glass, a landscape of towering
mountains and lofty trees lazily flickered by.
Overhead, the clouds were dark and heavy, hanging
so low that she could see the curve of each cloud.
[4:18 - 6:01] She knew that snow was on the way.
This time of year, it seemed to snow
almost every day in her hometown.
If she closed her eyes, she could remember
every bit of her childhood snow days here.
How she would awaken in her nice, warm bed
to the steady rumble of snowplows sliding
piles of freshly fallen snow to the side.
How she would crawl out of her bed with a
blanket draped over her shoulders and look
out over the landscape, amazed by how perfectly
the white flakes had blanketed the landscape,
subduing every harsh line and turning the
world into a one of softness and peace.
She closed her eyes as the
memories washed over her.
The consistent drone of the train wheels
and mechanics was a steady, rhythmic lullaby
that seemed to be urging her to sleep. Chug,
chug, chug, chug, the wheels spun, and spun,
and spun, driving her deeper and deeper
into the depths of the countryside.
The door beside her slid open, gently breaking
her nostalgic moment. A waiter in a velvety coat
handed her a cup of steaming hot chocolate, one
she had ordered only moments earlier. She sipped
down on it, allowing the sweetness to engulf
her taste buds and warm her up from the inside.
But that wasn’t the only thing
that came through the door.
[6:02 - 7:46] A man sat down across from her. He had dark
skin and glanced up to her with kind amber eyes.
She knew those eyes from somewhere, and as
she met his gaze, she knew exactly where from.
Growing up in such a small
town, everyone knew everyone.
It was something she missed
about White Cedar Valley.
She felt as if she was always safe, protected by a
community of people who loved and appreciated her.
For years, there was one person who was at the
center of that feeling of love and safety: Edgar.
Edgar was the neighbor boy, the boy she used
to catch fireflies with on warm summer nights.
They would frolic through the flower
filled meadows with mason jars,
scooping fireflies out of the air.
They’d lay in the cool grass together,
looking at the warm glow of the bugs
and the starry sky just beyond them.
In autumn, they would journey to the outskirts
of town, where the farmers’ fields and orchards
were ripe with the bounty of the season.
They would meander through cornfields,
breathing in the earthy fall air as they
got happily lost in the rows of plants.
When winter came, they would spend
all day on the pond by their house.
She swore, she could still feel the
breeze that would lap at her face
as they spun around on their ice skates,
their laughs warming the air around them.
[7:51 - 9:35] Then, in spring, they would slink outside
to soak in the warmth of the Earth awakening
from its slumber. They’d catch tadpoles and
listen to the peepers’ gentle calls as
they navigated fields of wildflowers.
It was a beautiful friendship. Truthfully,
it was a beautiful childhood, and that was
largely because of him. They had grown up
together. They shared the first kiss together.
They went to prom together. She
could write a novel about their
time together – but it came to an
end when she moved away for college.
When they locked eyes, it was as if nothing had
changed. Beyond his amber gaze, she saw the same
friendliness, the same warmth that had filled her
soul and engaged her mind for years and years.
They hugged in a tight, loving embrace
that seemed to cement her in the moment.
He asked her how she liked the big city,
and she didn’t quite know how to answer.
She loved the availability of everything.
She loved the motion of the city,
the amount of things she had access to, the
energy that could be found down every street.
But lately, she felt as
though she had been missing
something. She longed for days in fresh air
in the company of white pine and oak trees.
She longed for her cozy hometown
bakery where everyone knew her name.
[9:37 - 11:25] She told Edgar the truth of her new life, and
he told her the truth of his. He had taken over
his father’s carpentry business pretty soon after
they graduated. He loved the work, but he wanted
to explore, to see different places and feel
the sun on his skin more months out of the year.
They spoke for the rest of the
ride, talking about their hopes and
dreams with little hesitation and no
boundaries. It was a freeing conversation,
during which they found themselves
inching closer and closer together.
They only paused when the train crested over a
mountain and began its descent into White Cedar
Valley. The sight stole Charlotte’s breath,
replacing it with a flood of warm nostalgia.
White Cedar Valley sat in a quiet
valley far from the nearest city.
On three sides, it was surrounded by high
granite peaks that seemed to kiss the sky.
Cedar trees dotted the mountains, washing
them in a sea of white and evergreen.
On the western side of the valley, a
river laced through the countryside.
Even in winter, it didn’t stop flowing. Now,
it was swathed with pockets of ice, dotted with
holes where the water bubbled up, providing deer
with a place to drink at during the cold months.
Near the granite cliffs, farms peppered the
landscape. Charlotte could see their old
wood and stone fences which seemed to stretch on
for miles, winding around bends and over hills.
[11:27 - 13:10] The center of town lay along the river. It was
an old New England town with cobblestone streets
and cozy brick buildings down the main
street. Victorian mansions lined the river,
their towers aglow in stunning
shades of green, blue, and yellow.
And throughout the entire town,
old church steeples kept watch.
It was like something out of a fairytale, a
town you see on postcards and in your dreams.
Even though she had grown up in it, it
still took her breath away every time.
“Is it good to be home?” Edgar asked
as he watched Charlotte’s reaction.
There was compassion in his eyes, blended with
that playful nature he always carried with him.
She wiped a single tear from her expressive eyes
and told him that it was wonderful to be home.
When they arrived at the station, Charlotte was
touched to see the entire building decorated for
Christmas. Wreaths and garlands hung from
the exposed beams of the antique building,
turning it into a holiday wonderland.
Her parents met her and Edgar
as they stepped off the train.
She could see her mother’s excitement at the
sight of them together. Ever since they were
little kids, her mother wanted them to end
up together. She updated Charlotte on his
life nearly every time she called, urging
her to call him and check in with him.
[13:13 - 14:59] But now, she wasn’t going to have to do that. As
they were preparing to leave, Charlotte handed
Edgar a slip of paper with her number on it. She
told him it’d be nice to spend some time together,
but even that felt like an understatement.
After a hearty meal with her parents at
her childhood home, she slunk off to bed,
exhausted from such a long day. But she hovered
by the window in her old bedroom for a moment.
She traced her fingers along the wall as
she tiptoed over the old wooden floor,
still remembering every knot in the grain and
every board that creaked when you stepped on it.
Outside, the yard and the street were glowing
in the light of the orange street lamps.
The snow sparkled iridescently. In the house
across the way, there was a single light on.
She knew the light well. For years, every night,
her and Edgar would sit in front of the glass
and flash Morse-code messages to
each other with their flashlights.
As she reminisced on the memory, a soft light
flashed at her from the window. Across the way,
she could see the faint silhouette of
Edgar – just enough to tell he was smiling.
He flashed a message to her again. She wrote each
letter in a notebook, the sound of the graphite
gliding against the paper like music
to her ears in the still winter night.
I missed you – the message read. Staring down
at those simple words nearly brought her to
[14:59 - 16:49] tears. For so long, she felt as though a part
of herself was missing. She never considered
that that part might be Edgar.
She glanced around for a flashlight –
and to no surprise, she found one in
the drawer beside the window, exactly
where she left it all those years ago.
I missed you – she messaged back. In that
moment, she felt like a kid yet again.
The air was still and quiet around her as the
next message arrived, which read M.M.A.T.W.T.
It was a childhood code they came up
with in case a message was too long.
There were dozens of codes – but this
one was one she could never forget,
because they used it at least once a week for
years. It meant ‘Meet me at the willow tree.’
She shook the flashlight up and down for yes.
Charlotte pulled on a warm wool sweater, leggings,
and boots, along with a thick jacket. As a child,
she always had to sneak out to meet him at
the tree. She had a bag in her closet for the
occasion – with a large puffer jacket and boots,
ready for any time she wanted to meet Edgar.
But now, she simply stepped out the front
door into the brisk night air. She could
almost taste the pine trees and mountains on her
tongue with every breath – filling her lungs,
filling her being. It was invigorating.
[16:51 - 18:39] It made her feel beautifully alive,
yet small, all at the same time.
She walked through the soundless
town with her eyes turned to the sky.
The only noise was the crunch, crunch, crunch,
crunch of her boots on the squishy snow.
It was a sound like no other, a sound
that would forever bring her back to her
childhood of sledding under stars and whispering
under willow trees with hot chocolate in hand.
The willow tree was at the end of the neighborhood
down a small hill. It rested in the center of a
forest, far away from the neighbors and, at times,
the world. The trees all around her were
coated in a thin layer of ice – just enough
to make every branch, needle, and pinecone
glisten in the December moonlight.
But the star of the show was the willow tree.
The only willow for miles, it had grown to be
impossibly tall. Its tendrils sloped to the
ground, lowered down by the weight of snowflakes.
It looked like an ice sculpture, a work of
art that was too perfect for this world.
Charlotte stood for a moment
marveling at the sight before her.
In that moment, she truly realized how blessed
she had been to have such a beautiful childhood.
A childhood full of ice-coated
willows and frog-filled streams.
She stepped into the willow,
[18:40 - 20:15] parting the branches with the back of her
hand to reveal the cozy area underneath.
There was a single bench there, a bench she
and Edgar had crafted years and years ago.
She wiped a dusting of snow off the seat.
Underneath, etched into the grain was a simple
message: “Charlotte and Edgar were here.”
She couldn’t help but smile. She never imagined
that life would take them back here again.
And yet, here she was.
And there he was. Edgar parted the branches
and stepped into the tree with her,
his eyes aglow with compassion and adoration. “I
see you still remember our code.” – he chimed.
His voice was smooth and calming, with a tone that
had calmed her in many situations over the years.
He extended a cup to her. When
she brought it to her nose,
she knew exactly what it was. “Our
special hot chocolate.” – Charlotte said.
As children, they spent many winter nights
perfecting their own hot chocolate recipe.
They even sent the recipe to the north pole,
hoping that Santa would bring them up to
his workshop to make some just for him.
It was a sweet gesture and a lovely memory in
a simple cup. She brought it to her lips as
the steam rose over her face, a welcome
contrast between her and the night air.
[20:16 - 22:04] As the hot chocolate filled her mouth,
she was flooded with a wave of nostalgia
that warmed her from the inside out.
She was also flooded with a sweetness
unlike any other – as if she had poured the
contents of a chocolate shop into her mouth.
Judging by Edgar’s reaction, he felt the same way.
They both laughed, plopping down on the bench next
to each other. “I found the recipe and followed
it exactly, I swear.” Edgar chuckled. Charlotte
swirled the cup, watching the thick hot chocolate
leave trails along the edge of the cup. “Oh,
I believe you,” She chimed, “We were
8, we would make something that sweet.”
As their laughs died down, they
lapsed into a comfortable silence.
It wasn’t awkward, it wasn’t uncomfortable
– it felt like home. Here under the icy
willow tendrils in the moonlight, she felt at
home with Edgar in a way she hasn’t in years.
They sat and talked for hours, their breath
forming clouds with every word they spoke,
their hands searching for each other for
a gentle touch or caress on occasion.
The conversation was like the river that ran
through town – ebbing and flowing around familiar
corners, resting in deep spots for a few peaceful
moments before continuing to move forward.
It was always comfortable, always natural.
She found herself getting lost in
his eyes on occasion. As a child,
[22:04 - 23:51] she would always say his eyes looked like
honey, and now, she could see how true that was.
They sparkled when he spoke of certain things,
and swirled with emotion when he spoke of others.
He was a man of compassion, a man
who found joy in the smallest of
things – like flashlight Morse code or a
shared hot chocolate under a starry sky.
By the time the night really began to cool,
they had been talking for hours. Charlotte
hadn’t realized her teeth were chattering
until Edgar extended his suede jacket to her.
She tried to tell him she didn’t need it,
but as he leaned in close and wrapped the sleeves
of it around her, she melted at the touch.
The two began walking home together, just
like old times. As they neared their homes,
they both found themselves walking slower
and slower, not wanting the night to end.
They hovered in front of their
doors, unsure of how to part ways.
But Charlotte made a decision.
All those years feeling empty,
all those years feeling as if something was
missing…she didn’t want to do that anymore.
Snow began to fall around them. The flurry was a
dance of large, fluffy snowflakes, the kind that
drift from the sky ever so slowly, turning the
landscape into a scene from a Christmas movie.
They both gazed up at the sky with delight.
[23:53 - 25:39] It felt magical, ethereal, like something
they had been waiting for all their lives.
Charlotte’s gaze drifted down to
Edgar. She watched as his amber eyes
continued to stare in awe and wonder
at the snowy display all around him.
That joy – that love of life – is
precisely why she did what she did next.
She leaned forward slowly, wrapping her hand
gently around the back of his neck. She drew
him in, pressing her lips softly against
his. She felt herself melting into his arms,
melding into him as they kissed
in the middle of the street,
finding catharsis for their years and
years of quiet love in that single moment.
When they pulled away, they
shared a look unlike any other.
A look that told Charlotte Edgar was going
to be in her life for a long, long time.
That night, she curled up in her childhood
bed, knowing she had done something she
had always wanted, that she had the
person she always dreamt of being with.
Sleep came easily and beautifully that night, and
her dreams were filled with nothing but peace.
For the next few weeks, Charlotte and Edgar
spent every moment together. They danced on the
cobblestone streets of downtown in the moonlight.
They ate at all the restaurants they had as kids
and blew bubbles in their drinks,
just like they had 20 years ago.
[25:40 - 27:22] At night, they held each other tightly, whispering
about their hopes and dreams for the future.
Charlotte wanted nothing more than a life of
happiness and love – and that’s the life she
knew she could have with Edgar. They longed for
something in between the city and the country,
and they knew exactly how to find that.
They renovated an RV for themselves
and headed out on the open road.
Charlotte would work remotely, curled up on
their soft couch as they traversed mountains
and cities and plains across the country. Edgar
would freelance wherever the wind took them.
As they drove off in their RV,
Charlotte held Edgar’s hand.
She glanced behind them as they rose up over
the mountain, leading out of White Cedar Valley.
She looked at the glowing lights of downtown,
the peaceful farms, and the tall church steeples
with gratitude. It was the town that made them,
the town that made a love like this possible.
The last thing she saw, far off in
the distance, was a single willow
tree. It seemed to glisten in the sunshine,
outshining every other tree in the forest.
Emotion welled in her eyes as she
watched it disappear over the horizon.
There would be more willow trees in their future.
Forests full of them wherever they went
– as long as they went there together.
[27:24 - 27:47] I hope this story has brought you to
a night of soothing sleep. Please,
join me again tomorrow night for another
sleep story. Until then, sweet dreams.