Comfort

Originally Published Dec. 2012                                                        

My five-year old grandson, Johan, was so happy.  He was showing off his summersaults (backward and forward) and then decided to start jumping on the couch.  Oh, I did the obligatory, “don’t fall – you’ll crack your head” statements – several of them, in fact.  He was having fun showing off in front of grandma.  When, all of a sudden…… yep, you guessed it….. he fell and cracked his head on the coffee table.

Since he is five and considers himself a “tough little boy,” it took a few seconds before he started to cry.  I so wanted to comfort him.  But, Johan has never been the cuddly-type.  I can barely get a hug from him whenever he leaves our house.  His mom and dad have to practically bribe him into giving me a hug.  And so, while my heart ached for him because he was hurt and crying, I knew he didn’t want my sympathy or to hear soothing words from me.

I rushed over to him and just sat on the floor next to him.  He finally looked up at me and I said, “Oh, Johan…. I think you need a hug” and I stretched my arms out to him.  He rushed into my arms and sobbed and I gave him the biggest hug I could and while holding him, I just talked softly to him….. giving him the comfort he needed and wanted.

I’m sitting here writing on this topic while watching the London Olympics – specifically, women’s gymnastic and men’s swimming.  Talk about being out of one’s comfort zone.  Not mine – I’m perfectly comfortable sitting here in my comfortable lounge chair.  I’m talking about the athletes.  I can just see the nerves jumping out of their skin when they land out of bounds or don’t “stick” their landing.  

Oh, wait a minute – Jordyn is out and Aly is in.  Evidently, there are some new rules.  No one is comfortable now…… including me.  The World Champion is out.  How can this be?  Was Jordyn too comfortable knowing that she was already #1 in the world and didn’t focus enough?  Or was Aly not comfortable enough going into the Olympics and therefore, worked harder to be comfortable in her ability to reach the All Around final?  I don’t know.  I just know that I’m out of my comfort zone now.  I find myself yelling at the judges (even though they can’t hear me).  I get up and go into another room and walk around in between the challenges.

And the men’s swimming!  I must have yellowed, “go, go, go” at least 10 times during the last lap of the relay.  All of my yelling didn’t help, though.  USA lost to France by only a few tenths of a second – ending up getting the silver.  

Well, I think the entire USA team needs a hug right now.  And a few soothing words.