Comfort

Throughout this journey with MG, I have learned how important comfort is to me. The dictionary defines comfort as to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to and to make physically comfortable. There was little comfort in the weeks and weeks that I spent in the hospital. The bed was uncomfortable. The hospital gown that I was forced to wear because of my subclavian was beautiful of course but not comfortable. The hospital food was terrible. Each day of the week was the same. Sunday was pot roast.  Monday was chicken, etc. I was definitely out of my comfort zone. I am independent. It is uncomfortable for an independent woman to be completely dependant on others. My weakness was so profound that I could not lift my own hands to put lotion on them.

My little weiner dog, Angel, was living with me during the time I was in the hospital. My friends took turns taking care of her until Todd moved back home from the university. Angel was 14 years old at the time but was still as spry as a young dog. I missed her terribly during those weeks and needed the comfort that the unconditional love of a dog can provide. Angel’s comfort was a plastic shoe. She loved that old shoe. Todd and I bought it for her the first week we had her. She tore the squeaker out of it pretty fast. She carried that old plastic shoe around for years. I bought her other shoes that were identical to that one but she would have nothing to do with them. She was comfortable with her old shoe.
When I am sick, depressed, feeling sorry for myself or any of a million other emotions, I want comfort. I miss the comfort of my mother and father. I miss the comfort of the independence that was a big part of who I was. But I know that I am better emotionally now that I rely on the only comfort that is everlasting. I thank God that He is my comfort and strength. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-5