A Patchwork of Comforts: Small Pleasures for Peace of Mind

Author Carol Wiseman asked people around the country to send her descriptions of their favorite comforts. The result is A Patchwork of Comforts, a collection of comforting and comfortable things to soothe body, mind, and spirit. Comforts are organized alphabeticallyand Wiseman adds sidebars with bits of trivia, and even comforting recipes, such as a recipe for Zabaglione, a dessert sauce.

AtoZ comforts include:

• Alone Time: The only voice you hear is your own
• Aromas: Trigger memories
• Brainrest: A chance to recoup and regroup
• Crosswords: The right word satisfies
• Cuddling: Back to the womb
• Daydreams: Going to the movies free
• Dogs: Part of the family
• Vacation: A break from responsibility
• Water: Watch it, hear it, drink it, play in it
• Xtra Time: Ditching the clock lets you finish...whatever
• Young at Heart: Keeps you in the loop
• ZZZ's: Renews and reactivates

There are plenty of comforting activities to take the sting out of even the worst days: sitting by a fire after a long walk in the cold/ watching birds in the back yard/ enjoying a big cup of homemade hot chocolate/ bathing by candlelighta weekend camping tripwith no electronic appliances. A Patchwork of Comforts is a homecoming in a bookwelcoming, warm, and wise.

A book written especially for "one of those days," dipping into A Patchwork of Comforts is like a long soak in a hot tub.

"Just think how much different our lives would be—calmer, happier, healthier—if we spent more time nurturing ourselves and less time on the endless string of tasks we assign ourselves each day," says Wiseman, who is clearly a wise woman. For this book, she contacted "everyone" she knew to ask about the simple pleasures that comforted them most. The results are not terribly surprising: spending time alone, eating out, petting a dog or cat, daydreaming, shopping, reading, meditating, cooking. ("Chopping veggies counts as therapy when you imagine familiar faces on them first," Wiseman quips.) But then, the joy of small comforts comes not from originality but from easy familiarity, so the fact that there are few surprises here is more an asset than a liability. Many readers will rediscover their own "small pleasures" in these pages and be reminded to indulge in them more often
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