There’s something so comforting about feeling warm when you’re sick, uncomfortable, or feeling off somehow. It’s probably because warm is that perfect middle ground. You’re not expending energy trying to heat up. You’re not working hard to cool down. Being warm is effortless.
Many years ago, recovering from surgery, my favorite aunt came to stay with me. Near the end of her visit she tripped down a stair and hurt her knee. Even though the outside temperature was comfortable, she asked for blankets because she wanted to feel warm. More than the temperature, I think it was also the comfort brought from snuggling in a blanket, like a cloth hug wrapped around her.
I also enjoy feeling warm, snugged in blankets. I’m a self-professed blanket hog. I might be worse than most because I tuck the blankets all around my body. It makes me feel safe and cozy, cocooned inside the blanket nest. And I definitely stay warm, too.
Other things that elicit feelings of warmth are hot tea, or any type of hot drink. This feels especially comforting on a cold day, during illness, or after something big happens. I recall in the moments after my father died one of the workers placed a cup of piping hot tea in my hand. Though I can’t remember the temperature, it was June, so I know it wasn’t cold outside. At that moment, there was something visceral about the heat in that tea. I remember the feeling of my hand curling around the styrofoam cup and the warm steam rising towards my face. I was in a bad state of shock, but instinctively forced myself to take a few sips. Looking back at it, I suppose the physical sensation of something hot in that moment helped to re-establish a physical connection to ground me.
I’m also a fan of hot soup. Somehow soup is one of those foods that feels warm and comforting in my belly, even if it’s hot outside! Eating heat in the heat helps me feel adjusted to the temperatures. And eating heat in the cold weather helps to warm me up and feel nourished.
Perhaps one of my favorite ways to feel warmth is from the sun. Few things compare to those early warming rays of spring sunshine after a long, cold winter. It’s comforting.