One Blanket for Two

In Baby Mo and Baby Ais's room were two cute little beds. One with star sheets, one with moon sheets. One for Mo, one for Ais. Every night, Umi tucked them into their own beds.

"Goodnight, Mo. Goodnight, Ais," whispered Umi, switching off the light.

But every morning — always, without ever failing — Umi found them both in ONE bed. Squished together. Baby Ais's foot on top of Baby Mo's head. Baby Mo's arm hugging Baby Ais's teddy. The star blanket and the moon blanket all tangled into one big bundle. And both fast asleep with the most peaceful faces in the world.

One night, Umi grew curious. She peeked quietly from behind the door.

At first they each slept in their own bed. But before long, in the dark, came a tiny sound. "Mo?" Baby Ais called softly. "Mo," answered Baby Mo. Then — thump, thump — the sound of two little bodies crawling. And in a flash, they'd gathered into one bed again, hugging each other, and fell asleep.

Umi held back a laugh, and also held back a happy tear.

The next day she asked, smiling, "Mo, Ais, why not sleep in your own beds? You each have a warm blanket."

Baby Mo thought hard with a finger on his chin. Then he answered innocently, "Mo's bed… is empty. With Ais, it's full."

Baby Ais nodded in agreement, chewing a banana. "Full!"

Umi hugged them both. It turned out the warmest blanket wasn't the star blanket or the moon blanket. The warmest blanket is the sibling beside you.

"The believers in their love, mercy and kindness towards one another are like a single body." (Bukhari 6011, Muslim 2586)

From then on, Umi stopped forcing them to sleep apart. She simply slid the two little beds together to make one big bed. And every night, Baby Mo and Baby Ais slept side by side, under two blankets tangled into one.

Because hearts that love each other don't much like sleeping alone.

Goodnight, Mo. Goodnight, Ais. 🌙