Comfort Objects

     Johanna wonders what Luke will choose for a comfort object. For example, how about this wee bunny from Natalie? Companionable, gently warm to snuggle up with, soothing binky-in-hand, totally dedicated to Luke and none other--now that's a great comfort object! Perfectly logical choice, but still no guarantee of becoming chosen.  

Luke loves to have his hands up near his face.

     Anna needs her  "B", her blanket, and sucks her thumb. Scott likes that stuff, but seems quite a bit less dedicated to it. Though Bethany and Isaac each take their "Lovey", a soft and snuggly mini-blanket-type stuffed animal to bed, I suspect their true comfort object is each other. And I don't know what Sabrina, Olivia, and Jacob take to bed, unless it's the fact that Brian and Candice wrap them warmly in The Comforter with bedtime stories and testimonies of the gospel. That part of their bedtime routine becomes particularly indispensable, Sabrina has taught me, the later the hour.

     So Luke's got me thinking this morning. Do I have a comfort object at age 56? Seems likely.  Is it merely luck-of-the-draw that I chose it, or repetition that made it stick, or easy access that keeps me reaching for it? Is it something all-encompassing like The Gospel, or something sensual like music, or maybe a bit more tangible like food or the flow of warm water that I want?

     In the hospital the day after Luke was born, Talmage and Johanna and I were watching "Life As We Know It". Holly insists that it is important for Sophie to learn to be self-soothing when fussy; Holly read it in a book that this was necessary and she wanted to do this mothering job right. Messer looks at her incredulously, and waits it out. But then after a series of fruitless events, an ineffective and frustrated Holly gives up on the goal of teaching Sophie to self-soothe.

     Yeah, I say forget that! I think I mostly want the opposite of self-soothing. And I want it tangible. For example, warm water is fantastic for all kinds of reasons--cleansing, relaxing, relieves pain, renews my outlook.

Therefore, my new shower with seven (crazy, I know) spray nozzles of varying types is perfect for me, and I'm pretty sure I designed it as a comfort object. Then again, the example of comfort food, is a classic. And Sabrina is absolutely right, that it's no comfort to set aside scriptures and prayers.

     But here's the thing: my shower is so much better with Jared in it, and any food is more fulfilling when it's about the company I'm in. Even the new and everlasting covenant is only made complete with a companion. So that wee bunny holding onto Luke's binky is actually "that good part",  and after being away from home this week I really do miss my very own Honey bunny.