Team Los Tiburones, Jorge Gonzalez-Garcia, Fred Lamora, Submitted Dec. 11, 2012

1. Challenge Assumptions 3: A Creative Solution
The First Year Anniversary: A Short Story
Submitted by Team Los Tiburones
Jorge Gonzalez-Garcia, Fred Lamora, December 11, 2012

2. •
• “Emily, honey, are you sleeping all right?” her
father asked. She and her younger brother,
Peter, and her dad, Mark, were gathered around
the breakfast table. “I’m okay, dad. Just not
getting enough sleep. That’s all.” Emily replied.
Her dad looked at her and tried to smile. “I
know it’s hard right now for you, and Peter, and
all of us,” her father said. “But, it’ll get better as
time goes on. In the meanwhile, please let me
know how I can help. And, when you need to
talk, I’m here.” Now it was Emily’s turn to smile.
She reached across the table and put her hand
over her father’s. “Thanks, dad,” Emily said. “I
appreciate that.”

3. The one-year anniversary of Emily’s mom death was coming up on
December 15, only five days away. Emily had been dreading the
anniversary, but this morning, for some reason, she felt better about it.
And, she had come up with an idea for commemorating her mom’s
passing in a way that would be more fitting and emotionally easier on
everyone. Emily’s idea was to have a picnic at her mom’s gravesite, in the
Day of the Day tradition celebrated in Latin America. She wanted to feel
good about her mom’s life and memory, not keep mourning her death. It
felt like they had done enough of that, and now it was time to move on.
The question was how to get her dad and brother to go along.

4. Meanwhile, she was trying to be supportive of her brother and father. She could see
how the grieving and sadness had worn them down. Her brother was 12, and
sometimes he seemed fine, but other times completely lost. Her dad was doing his
best to keep up a brave front for the both of them, but she could see the lingering
pain in his eyes, and the haggard look on his face. Emily was feeling all of that, too.
She was trying to keep herself together just like they were. And, now the
accumulated emotional stress was affecting her sleep. Night after night she tossed
and turned, thoughts of her mom’s fight against the deadly cancer swirling around in
her head.

5. The constant sleeplessness was also starting to affect her performance away
from home. She would find herself nodding off during class, and drifting off at
her part-time job. In the mirror, her eyes looked red, with dark circles
underneath. She knew she needed good rest to stay strong and focused. For
her dad and her brother, not to mention herself. But, the memories still came
every night no matter what she tried. There wasn’t much she could do except
swallow a sleeping pill and nod off. But, the pills made her feel hung over the
next morning. And, so the vicious cycle of worry and exhaustion would start all
over again. Emily was on a physical and emotional roller coaster, with no idea
how to get off.

6. • This morning though she was determined to cut
through it once and for all. And, she knew
someone who might be able to help--her yoga
teacher, Samantha. With a little luck, they could
come up with a better way for her to get the
sleep she needed. If not, things were going to
start going downhill fast. Emily decided to talk
with Samantha at her next class on Saturday.
Just one day away. She felt a small surge of
confidence, something she hadn’t felt in
months. Okay, she told herself: Steady now, just
focus on one thing at a time. And let the other
stuff disappear.
•

7. Saturday came and she went up to Samantha right after yoga class. “Nice to see you,
Emily. How’s it going?” Samantha asked. “I’m okay. No, actually, I’m not so good right
now,” Emily replied. Samantha looked closely at her 17-year-old student. “You look
sad and tired, and that’s not good,” Samantha said. “Talk to me, tell me how I can
help.” Emily told her how she was having trouble sleeping. And how the sleeping pills
made her feel hung over. Samantha listened quietly as Emily described what she had
been going through. At the end, Samantha smiled and put her arm around Emily. “I
know how lousy I felt when my mom died,” Samantha said. “So, I think I can relate, at
least a little bit. And, I have an idea for your sleeplessness. And, the best part is--no
meds, it’s all natural.”

8. • After class, they went to a nearby cafe to talk.
Samantha described a natural way she had
learned to reconnect with her sleep rhythms. “I
learned it from a friend of mine who is a nurse
and a yoga teacher,” Samantha said. “She taught
it to me when I was going through a rough time
after my husband and I separated. I can teach it
to you, if like.” “Samantha, I’m sorry, I just can’t
afford another class right now,” Emily said.
Samantha laughed. Emily looked puzzled.
“Emily, I care about you, so don’t even think
about paying me for this,” Samantha said. “Are
we clear on that? Emily nodded her head. “Sure,
I understand,” Emily said. “And, thank you. It
means a lot to me. Especially, right now.”

9. • Samantha explained the seven-step plan that
her friend had taught her. “It’s based on
understanding the natural rhythm of sleep we
all have deep within us,” Samantha told Emily.
“And, reconnecting with that natural rhythm so
that you can have deep, restful sleep every
night. Let me describe the steps, and then we’ll
get into each one more in depth,” Samantha
continued. “First, you need to recognize that
what you do during sleep and awake cycles
impacts how well you sleep at night. Second,
you have to examine what you do and what you
think about sleep in an honest and open way.
Third, you need to explore your attitudes and
your relationship with sleep. And, learn how to
let all the negative emotions go out of your daily
routine.” Samantha continued until she had
covered all seven steps of the plan.

10. Then she paused and watched Emily’s expression, looking for a positive sign.
And, there it was, a small spark. Emily’s mood began to brighten. The gleam
was slowly coming back into her eyes. This girl is strong, Samantha thought to
herself. “Emily, you are going to get through this fine,” Samantha said. “I’m
hoping, but to tell you the truth, I’m not so sure right now,” Emily replied.
“What makes you think I will?” “Emily, I think you will because you’re a lot
stronger than I was when I was your age,” Samantha answered. “And, given
your mom’s death, and everything you’ve gone through, that’s all you need.”