Shutter Sisters

Comfort

By

There’s a moment in my new novel Get Lucky, when the main character, Sarah, takes a self-defense class from her dad’s new fiancé.  It’s one of my favorite scenes in the book, and I find myself thinking about it a lot.  Especially this little moment afterwards:

Then she told me there were two things in this world that every woman needed to learn about.  One was self-defense.  And the other one wasn’t covered in her class.

“What’s the other one?” I asked.

Dixie took a long, slow breath before saying, “Comfort.”

I thought about that.  “How does that one work?”

“Well,” Dixie said, “everybody’s different.  What comforts me won’t be what comforts you.”

“What if I don’t know what comforts me?”

Dixie pulled up in front of Mackie’s house.  “Well, sweetheart,” she said, kissing her fingertips and touching them to my cheek. “It’s time you found out.”

So Sarah decides to make a comfort list of things she finds soothing.  I’ve heard from many people about that list, and so not long ago I decided to make my own. I included some pictures I took in my garden (which is on my list).  It made me wish I had more photos of the things on the list.  What would a comfort list done in photographs look like?  What would your list look like?  What things comfort you? 

I’m giving away a signed copy of Get Lucky to the Shutter Sisters this month for Giveaway May!!  Post a link to a photo of something that comforts you below by midnight (PST) on Saturday, May 27, to enter.  I can hardly wait to see the photos!

Photo and words courtesy of author Katherine Center.

Comments

  5. it’s like you read my mind. my Dad is having serious brain surgery today and i’ve just spent the last hour sitting here attempting to lose myself in images i find comforting and soothing. i can’t say it’s done wonders for my nerves… but it has helped. a lot. these are the images i uploaded to my flickrstream today:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4646632315/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4646635243/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4647255172/

  16. simple things give me comfort. One thing I don’t have a photo of is how sheer curtains flow and billow when a breeze comes through the window.
    Something else that gives me comfort can be seen here:

    http://www.dianeschuller.com/blog/?p=2228

    (there are 3 photos and all 3 would fall into that category but it’s the MIDDLE one that really, really works)

  20. this is a wonderful post. thank you. I love your idea about making a visual comfort list
    here are just a few

    a good book, fresh scone (made by my daughter of course), and warm sunshine – an ahhhhh comforting moment for me. http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4591026812/in/set-72157623789859750/

    late afternoon sunlight on my bed – just right for a nap after work = comfort for sure
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4626308775/in/set-72157622732992827/

    being outdoors in God’s beautiful world brings a lot of comfort to me – the smells, the birdsong, motion and sound of water, everything about it is soothing
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4001240655/in/set-72157622438333257/

  27. I love the idea of making list of comforting things! This is such a wonderful post.
    There are a lot of things that bring me a comfort but lately I feel totally relaxed and comforted just being around my children. Being a SAHM and having the opportunity to see how their personalities develop and how the relationship between them is becoming stronger, makes me so peaceful inside.
    Here is a capture of my little DD while she was enjoying playing with her big brother,
    http://gabirytirova.typepad.com/lifeinpictures/2010/05/may-27th-day-147.html

  31. What a wonderful idea your list of comforts is. I think I will set to making (and photographing) one this long weekend. This may even warrant a new set on flickr . . . here are a few for which I have photos at the ready:

    the smell, sound and feel of the ocean
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/4577963577/in/set-72157623866536677/
    finding beauty in the mundane (perfect light helps)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/4637740154/
    and, always, flowers
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/4614535068/in/set-72157621295391310/

  32. I take comfort in knowing that there are people around me who appreciate the fact that I don’t follow the majority in most things and who agree that "normal" is a negative word.

    Thank you for sharing your photo and words!