It’s the rest of the week. How about something comforting to nudge us towards rest?
What sounds comforting to you? Let’s start with the five senses.
I asked Google if comfort food is really a category and in .50 seconds the first of 3.47 billion results was this definition:
“A comfort food is a specific type of food that provides a sense of emotional well-being or nostalgia when consumed. These foods are often associated with positive memories, childhood, or personal experiences.”
Mashed potatoes anyone?
Maybe all you need is the smell of cookies baking, or a whiff of your grandma’s favorite perfume. Perhaps it’s the sound of an opening door, a robin’s call, or the notes of a familiar song.
Here in the northern hemisphere we’re still in winter mode and anything warm and cozy sounds like a shortcut to comfort to me—cozy pajamas, snuggly blankets, hot drinks, aromatic baths.
There are visuals that evoke feelings of comfort—a sleeping baby swaddled into a cozy, contented bundle. And then there’s the comfort associated with touch—like the feeling of being swaddled yourself, enveloped in a comforting hug offered at just the right moment.
Pausing to notice what’s going on around us and tapping into our five senses is a great way to slow down—and calm down.
But the best comfort of all has to be love. In the words of William Shakespeare:
“Love comforteth like sunshine after rain…”
Everywhere there’s evidence of love. Be it the perfect love of God for us, or the imperfect love of our people. May you notice love, may you be comforted, and, as ever, may your rest be sweet.
Alicia
(The link above will take you to a favorite song of mine)