Happy Thoughts--Sleep Stories for Grownups - Cecilia

Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Positive Affirmations And Audio Stories podcast.

Today's episode is a sleep story. It's time to head off to a peaceful enjoyable sleep with a relaxing bedtime story. We'll drift through the quiet streets of old Rome... Not as tourists, but as dreamers, wrapped in the hush of moonlight and memory.  

This original story was inspired by "Cecilia:A Story of Modern Rome" by F. Marion Crawford.

Background Music- "Pure Potentiality" by Benjamin Martins

Coffee fuels us up ... donations keep us going... please pop over to ko-fi for a coffee donation if you'd like to financially support our work. If you would like to get more inspiration and motivation, there are lots of inspirational positive videos, messages and artwork over there. 

https://ko-fi.com/happythoughts 

We're also adding -over on our kofi page - a few free colouring pages to go with today's story. Have a look, download, and have fun colouring!

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Visit my Bandcamp page for more inspiration affirmations, meditations and stories for purchase and sample. Helping you live the positive lifestyle that you deserve.


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And for the children, do check out our other podcast "The Classic Children's Story Podcast ".

Also, have a look at our YouTube channel of stories, affirmations, songs and more for kids:

https://www.youtube.com/@SleepStoriesandFairyTales4U

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Stefania over at. Positive informations and audio
stories bring you happy thoughts, inspiration, motivation, and entertainment to
start your day. We use the power of positive words
to help you live the positive, uplifting lifestyle that you

(00:21):
to truly deserve to. Day's episode is a sleep story.
Is time to head off to a peaceful, enjoyable sleep
with a relaxing bedtime story. To night, we drift through

(00:44):
the quiet streets of old Rome, not as truths, no,
as dreamers. Wrapped in the hush of moonlight and memory.
We follow our unseeing guide, Cecilia, as she walks us
through the streets of Rome with her unseen companions, the

(01:08):
memories that live in her mind and heart. Our story
begins Cecilia a dreamy retelling. When the lamps flicker low
and shudders creak to a close, A hush falls over

(01:31):
a room like a lace, and in that hush walks Cecilia.
She's not in a hurry, she's not in search of
something she can name, but she moves like a thought,

(01:51):
like a dream, finding its way into words. Her shawl
is the color of twilight, soft and dusky, feeling like
breath in the cool air. It catches on the corners
of columns and kisses the heads of wildflowers curling between stones.

(02:15):
The Aventine welcomes her its ancient stone steps, remember her
footsteps like old lullabies. Then she passes a garden gate
wound with ivy and roses, some still open even at
this hour. There's a cat curled beneath the sundial eyes,

(02:38):
half moon tail, flickering slowly. Celia crouches waynes serra, peak Loamico,
Good evening, little friend. The cat purrs in reply, offering
no secrets, only presents. Cecilia smiles. Then she walks on.

(03:05):
There is music, very faint, drifting from a shuddered window
above a violin perhaps, or an old record playing in
a room lit only by memory. While at the chapel,
the one with the carved angel, she stops. She finds

(03:29):
one candle still burns inside, maybe left by someone with
something too tender to speak aloud. Cecilia steps closer and
lays her hand against the stone wall. She doesn't speak aloud,

(03:52):
but in her heart there is a whisper. Let the
quiet be enough. A breeze stirs her shawl smells of jasamine.
Something older, like candle smoke and stories told by firelight

(04:16):
and realm exhales and Cecilia breathes her in. Now she
finds herself beside the river. The Tiber is silver in
the dark. Lanterns ripple along its surface like golden rivers,

(04:40):
stretching into the night. And overcome by memories which rise unbidden,
she leans against the balustrade and closes her eyes, And
in her mind she hears a voice, the voice of

(05:00):
her father, soothing, soft and familiar. The city will always
know you, Coloma, even when you do not know yourself.
She opens her eyes and reaches into the folds of

(05:22):
her shawl. There it is a little brass lantern. It
was her father's. Once she lights it, the flame flickers
into being, like a heartbeat, small and sure. She kneels
by the water, and gently, ever so gently, she sets

(05:50):
it free. Carrie, what I could not say? The lantern floats,
its golden glow drifting outward, and the stars whisper a comforting,
gentle reminder. Some wishes do not need words. Some hearts

(06:21):
are made for the hush. Celia nods her head in acknowledgment,
in agreement, and continues walking past lovers holding hands, a

(06:44):
man selling flowers, a child asleep on her mother's shoulder.
She doesn't interrupted, only witnesses, and walks in a quiet piazza.
She finds a stone bench and sits. An old man

(07:07):
is seated nearby. He nods, and then they sit in silence.
You're walking with the past tonight. I think the past
is walking with me, he chuckles. The stars continue to

(07:30):
hum above. Let her rest, let her be quiet, let
her be whole, just for now. The old man lights
his own lantern, and they watched the flames together. Later,

(07:52):
perhaps minutes, perhaps ours, who knows. Cecilia rises. She walks
one last time through the sleeping city, and at her door,
she pauses. The night has left something with her, a

(08:14):
hush tucked into the folds of her shawl, calm peace,
She sighs. She smiles. She opens the door and steps inside,

(08:44):
and then softly closes the door behind her. And that's
it for to day. It's time for your dream time.

(09:06):
Hope it's a good one. Feel free to share this
podcast with your family, with your friends, with everybody. And
if you need a little more inspiration in between podcast episodes,
please feel free to visit our Coffee page. You can
find the website address in the show notes. Over there
you'll find more motivation, inspiration, inspirational media and if you like,

(09:31):
you can buy us a coffee yes please, or just
have a look around, enjoy and get inspired. And if
you do fancy a bit of coloring, stress free relaxation
through coloring, you can find three coloring pages inspired by

(09:55):
today's story and ready for downloading and your creative coloring
fun time. We'll be uploading them later on to day.
They're not they're wait this minute, but we'll be uploading
them to day. So have a good day, stay well,
be happy, and by for now. We'll be back again

(10:17):
next week with another sleep story to help you let
go of your dress and just fall asleep. Bye for now.