“Life is like a blanket too short. You pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and shivers meander about your shoulder; but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night.” ~Marion Howard

Cold weather has crept into East Texas this week.  Unusually cold for November.  And as a result, blankets have been pulled out of their summer homes to help keep us warm.  The warmth and comfort that comes with snuggling up in a blanket on a cold day is one of those seemingly small things I often take for granted.  

There's something comforting about blankets.  In fact, a larger, more plush form of a blanket is called a comforter.  Babies are comforted when swaddled in a blanket, and as they grow, some children rely heavily on a "security blanket." Two of our children had "blankies" when they were little.  Becca's blanket was one of my nightgowns that she latched on to.  We didn't really want her taking my nightgown to places like church, so Jeff's mom made her a blanket out of the same type of material.  She would reluctantly carry that one in public (because we insisted), but upon arriving back at home she immediately traded it for the nightgown.  

A 1979 study by psychologist Richard Passman found that 60% of kids are attached to some sort of comfort object during their first three years of life.  And while I could not find any precise numbers on how many people carry a love for their childhood blankie into adulthood, a survey of 6,000 British adults by the hotel chain Travelodge found that 35% admitted to sleeping with some type of comfort object.  

It's about more than the warmth.  It's about the comfort, and the psychological peace that comes from being wrapped up, safe and warm.  Sort of like a hug.  And while it's great to be wrapped up in a blanket, I would much rather be enveloped in the warmth of a human embrace - wouldn't you?  

According to researchers, hugs really are much like blankets.  They build a sense of safety and trust, and have been proven to increase oxytocin levels which heal feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger.  Holding a hug for an extended time can also increase serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.  Hugs can even relax muscles, reduce tension, and take away pain. 

I'm thankful for blankets that provide warmth on a cold day, and remind me of hugs that always warm my heart.  This weekend we plan to be watching the Aggies play football in very cold and possibly rainy weather.  I will be taking blankets to Kyle Field, and will be thankful for the warmth they provide.  But even more than that, I will be thankful for the opportunity to be wrapped in the embrace of my husband and each of my children this weekend.  Hugs from them really are the best "blankets" of all.