Stomach Calmed

one of the most uncomfortable things is when your stomach hurts

It makes you feel so small.

You curl up in a ball on your bed and can’t find any relief.

You toss and turn all throughout the night, but your stomach growling won’t let you sleep.

I think NOURISHMENT is a basis for comfort.

When you feel well-nourished,

when you feel your stomach agrees with your food,

when you can feed yourself,

then you feel comfortable

At your core

And so, I grab a snack and try to eat

There is some comfort in eating an apple, or strawberries, or blueberries

Fruits like oranges and bananas bring comfort and joy,

as they bring back memories of when my grandpa and mom used to buy them for us

As kids

Your family feeding and providing for you brings comfort and joy

Especially when you can feel their love through the efforts to make sure you get nutrients

How they water you like a plant with good food, care, and concern

You can feel the sunshine on your skin from feeling loved like that

You lay in your hotel room twenty years later,

your mother miles away,

and your grandfather passed away,

And you remember who loved you most

And you remember what food they brought

And you start crying

As you lay there with your hollow stomach

As you lay there with a broken heart

And you get up and eat an apple

To feel close to sunshine again

and that makes you feel a little comfortable

for now.

While replaying the memories of loved ones in your heart

Makes you feel comfortable forever

Because you can watch their smile and eyes over and over again in your mind’s eye

For free

And you never feel alone,

Even in a dark room by yourself

While your stomach aches

And your heart longs for the innocence, joy, and simplicity of earlier years.

Because now you’re 25,

but you wish you were 5 again.