You are reading from the book Today's Gift.

My true god is always with me.

I am learning to trust myself. . . .

--Joan Parsons 

Author talks about what/where we do/go for comfort..What gives us that warm fuzzy feeling when we are feeling down...author mentions a girl who absolutely loved the story about Heidi and her grandfather's hut 

The hut was lovely..Out in the country with nothing but natures beauty all around. But the part she carried with her to adulthood was the part about the grandfather pouring goat's milk into a bowl and telling Heidi to drink it all up so she could grow to be healthy and happy. 

Now that girl is a woman. Sometimes, when she wants to feel taken care of, she pours herself a bowl of milk. Then she sits down, picks up the bowl with two hands, and drinks out of it like Heidi.. She feels comforted and connected to the universe. 

The private rituals we discover in childhood can befriend us all our lives, if we let them.

What do I want when I want comfort? 

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When I was small, I had two friends:  an ugly, beat up brown, balding in some spots, Teddy and my Mr. Bunny...Mr. Bunny has his own story and I would like to share about my bestest friend in time of emotional need: 

I was just a little kid when the beast bought a 45' yacht..a luxury vessel that he just had to have and he would drag us from our near Boston town, and down to the Cape Cod area..we would go where the boat was docked.. 

One time, as we were waiting for the winds to die down, I got off the boat adn wandered through out the marina..it was nice, but needed a paint job..the benches in the park area were of a blue color, that was chipping and sun bleached with age..As I wandered through the park, looking for, I don't know what, I saw this stuffed Bunny Rabbit that was about 18" long,  sitting on an old worn out bench..He was turquoise and white, ears lopped and droopy from being pulled and yanked, and he was filthy dirty..All alone...Sad and feeling so unwanted..he sat on that bench with his arms out as if to say "Pleeeese want me"..His eyes were intact, but scratched and worn...He looked so sad sitting on that bench...I scooped him up and took him for a walk to the community laundry mat...I talked this lady into letting me toss Mr. Bunny into her washing machine and she was more than happy to help me...I watched Mr. Bunny go round and round in that washer, getting nice and clean...the lady even dried him for me and he looked pretty good when the lady handed him to me.. 

I carried him home and hid him under my bunk, promising him that I would get him out at bedtime and he could be my bed buddy 

From that day forward, Mr. Bunny has been my "comfort friend"  Like the Velveteen Rabbit, he now had more love than he could handle...He got it from me.... 

Hes sorta retired now..He has his place of honor in my bedroom , on his shelf, high above so the dogs don't get him and its like he watches over me when I sleep...When I am really hurting, I take him off the shelf and cuddle with him...I always feel better....