It is a cloudy and cold day (at the moment), so it sparked me yet again to wear my flannel shirt. I do have a 'prettier' shirt underneath, but if looks were that important I suppose I wouldn't be wearing my comfy shirt.
Yesterday I had a great need to feel cozy and comfortable...I woke up with a gift from Mother Nature, on top of that I was fighting back a cold that was making an attempt to break though my immune system barriers.
I felt dreary, cold, damp, cloudy, drippy, hazy, and just plain uncomfortable.
There is something to be said about wearing an oversize shirt. Sometimes people turn to them to 'hide' other times they wear them just for warmth. I'm finding that to me, it's a sign of comfort...it's like one is constantly wearing a hug all day long.
Now, wouldn't that be nice, to just have someone hold you all day if you felt like 'butt'?
Flannel makes me feel safe and secure when I'm feeling vulnerable. Granted I did have my palm-stone of Girasol which made me feel more secure and stable...but the flannel hit the nail on the head, so to say.
I do not have any family members who regularly wear flannel...though my dad-Steve does as an over-shirt in the cool months. Perhaps subconsciously it makes me think of him, and feel closer to him. For the longest time we were distant (because of me) and when I was a wee one I was a big daddy's girl...over time though I grew conflicted and confused and pushed him away. I resented him and the divorce that he and mum had gotten...I resented the lack of time I got to spend with him...and grew confused over 'who' was right or wrong (in regards to mum and what she told me or dad and what he told me).
(long story short I wrote an apology letter to my dad before I moved back in '06, and before that we both pulled our heads out of our butts and started over after he almost died in a motorcycle accident).

Anyways....I just think it's cute/ironic/funny sometimes as to what we find comforting for ourselves.

I love coffee, the smell and taste...caffeine does not affect me really (I can sleep after coffee, even if I drink it late) but I get upset if I cannot have my morning coffee. The routine is comfortable for me.

I like the smell of Bill's cologne, Eternity.

I also like the smell of Brute after-shave...many people hate it, but it makes me think of both my fathers when they would dress up. When I was little I would unscrew the cap and just smell the after-shave.

I always sleep with a stuffie of some sort...right now it is a bear (Reiki Bear Extrodinare) and a dolphin named Trixie. (ok, most times during the week I'm home by myself at night, so there, haha!)

I love my blanket...it's a Mexican woven style with bright colors. I can sleep with it in any season. It's the best blanket in the whole world.

I love Disney movies...I'll never be too old to watch The Little Mermaid. :)

I love foot rubs...I feel that it's been a way to keep my grounded and I never knew it. I like backrubs too...but my feet I feel are important to get rubbed on a weekly basis. I'll rub them myself sometimes, but I feel better when Bill or someone else does it. Plus being on my feet between 7-9 hours a day makes it vital.

I find the smell of gasoline strangely comforting too...if I walk by a shop that changes oil or whatnot...granted one does not want to smell it very much because it is not healthy...but maybe I worked on cars in a past life, lol.

After having lived in Goose Creek, SC I find myself comforted by the smells of good ol' Iowa...like the smell of skunk oddly enough. I found myself in the past very turned off by it...but after having smelled a sewage plant, paper mill, and swamp combined on a hot/humid day...skunk smells like roses.

I'm comforted on chilly days when I'm inside under a blanket in a warm room watching t.v. or reading a book.

I am comforted by hugs, especially hugs from my husband. He is big and tall with big arms...and he puts meaning into his hugs. Meaningless hugs are sad...hugs with meaning are wonderful.

I'm also comforted by simply reading a good book...books are some of the best friends a person can have. :)

What are some things that you feel comforted by?