Last night was our 5th night on the floor. I can see the end in sight and I am very happy about it. For that reason I think this experiment has given me a glimpse of what it means to be poor or homeless, but I know my discomfort is only temporary. It is also just at night. I can sit down on a cushioned couch to read my book or even at a cushioned chair to eat my dinner. What must it feel like to always be seeking a temporary relief to the daily discomfort?

I think I am starting to adjust to the floor. Don't get me wrong. I don't like sleeping on the floor. I really miss my bed, but I don't seem to wake up as much as I used to through out the night. I have discovered 3, and only 3, positions that I can sleep in for an extended amount of time without it being a constant pain or an appendage falling asleep.

Even though I am getting a little used to sleeping on the floor, I don't look forward to it. In fact, I dread it. This had made me think what it must be like to not have a bed to look forward to in the evening. What I mean is that if I've had a bad day, or if I am sick, or if I want to remove myself form the world for a little while, I find my rest, my comfort, my relaxation in my bed. How then do you ever find true-rest, true-relaxation after a long, hard, tiring day if you don't have a bed to curl up in at night. What do you do when you are sick. Where do you go to escape from the push and pull and noise of the world, if you don't have a home or a bed? I don't think I realized how much I depend on my bed.

And one last bit of information. I knew my shoulders and hips would be sore from sleeping on the floor. But there is one part of my body that is sore that I never would have expected- my left ear. Yep. You read that correctly- my left ear. At first I was surprised by this because I am sleeping on a pillow. But then I realized why. Since it hurts my shoulder to bear the weight of my body, I am transferring more of my weight to my head and neck than I usually do. So my ear is getting a lot more pressure put on it than it is used to. Who knew?