Contentment

[brynmawr1]

I once stayed awake so long   maybe 'Once, I..'  not sure
that all periphery non-essential peripheral?  although I like periphery if referring to a kind of tunnel vision, but the way it's written should change
operating systems shut down
and basic programming took over.

On a straight line home                  not sure this line adds much and should add more detail about the drive and such
it took an age to notice the heavy rain.

No furrowed brow.   I think these two lines could be improved to be more immediate/direct, eg 'An unfurrowed brow of simple acceptance' but so much better!
Acceptance.

This must be the way that sheep are    interesting that initially I accepted the introduction of sheep without question, but then they seem to come out of no where.  Hmm, sheep are sneaky!  might need to expand this some with more descriptors of sheep behavior to give us more of an image.
-- I thought.
It was a beautiful freedom.

Now when I see sheep I laugh.

It keeps me from crying.    I like the ending.  Unexpected and nice emotional, wait what? moment.

Hi Magpie(if that's your real name),
Nice work.  The tone is very conversational as written, but I think it would be improved by tightening the language just a bit throughout; that might be more stylistic than substantive.
Keep 'em coming!
Bryn