I made a mistake on my vacation, which came to an end a few days ago. My husband and I traveled to Chicago, rented a car, drove to Hershey, stayed a few days for a wedding, then returned to Chicago to attend another wedding. Though we had a wonderful time, visiting with family we had not seen in ages, there were some hours we had to kill. These were hours spent waiting in airports, and some evenings in hotel rooms where the TV and cable offerings were less than tantalizing. At home, I always turn to a book in the evening when there is nothing on TV that grabs my attention. However, I did not take a book with me on my vacation.

I did consider carrying a small paperback or my e-reader, but when I travel, I like to do it as lightly as possible. I don’t want to deal with the extra weight or bulk of a book or e-reader. I missed reading, though. I thought about purchasing a paperback on the road but never had an opportunity. Going ten days without a book to read felt like being on a diet that deprived me of one of my favorite foods.

As we waited at O’Hare Airport for our return flight, we were told our aircraft was delayed for two hours. I quickly purchased a paperback edition of Jo Jo Moyes’ Me Before You. Moyes’ storytelling is easy to enjoy, like eating a bowl of popcorn. I wanted to be entertained, to keep my mind off the possibility of any further flight delays. But I only read the first two pages before setting the book aside. Instead, I gazed enviously at a young man sleeping soundly on the carpet. I was very tired and wanted so badly to sleep.

As a chronic insomniac, I have always envied the other passengers who sleep through a red-eye flight. I invariably am one of the few who keeps a light on to read. That is why it was such a surprise that I slept through most of the four-hour flight that night. I didn’t once open Me Before You.

One of the few things I appreciate more than a good book is a good night’s sleep.