Random Thoughts: Do you need some comfany?

When our youngest, Dan, began talking, it was so cute the way he mispronounced certain words that we didn’t bother correcting him. Later, we realized he wasn’t mispronouncing words at all: he was simply a mini-sized master of portmanteaus.

Toddler Dan called a jacket a jacket, but if he wanted to wear something a little lighter in the spring weather, he would ask for a jackalet.

He also knew what it meant to comfort someone, and how you sometimes wanted someone around for company. But he used a blend of the two words to specifically describe a need for not just comfort, nor company, but for comfany.

Comfany is what you need during those times you’re feeling sad and blue, and you want someone to sit close by you, perhaps with an arm around your shoulder, giving whispered words of encouragement or sitting silently, until you feel a golden warmth spread throughout your heart.

The word just felt so right, and more than 20 years later, comfany continues on in our family vocabulary.

If I’ve had a hard day at work? Book got rejected? I’m missing someone far away, or no longer on this Earth? “I could use a little comfany,” is what I tell Joe.

Offering comfany is just as dear. Someone wasn't invited to the party? Got cut from the team? Failed the test? Asking, “Do you need a little comfany?” can lessen the sting.

Everyone could use a little comfany right now. The third week in January, starting on Blue Monday, is supposed to be the saddest, most depressing time of the year. Experts says it's because the cheery holiday season has fully disappeared from the rear-view mirror; the festive over-indulgences in spending and rich food have come to demand their penance; spring is not yet even a glimmer of light at the end of a cold and dark winter tunnel; and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is creeping in through the cracks.

That’s why I’m proposing we change the name of Blue Monday to Cute Baby Goat Day. Before you say “Baaaaah” to my idea, hear me out. We could read goat poetry, and have Google a Goat events where we watch random baby goat videos all day long. (A goat video can have 67,000,000 views. The only Blue Monday video I found? Just 46 views, folks.)

You can’t help but smile when you see baby goats scampering about, kicking up their clippity-cloppy heels and getting into all kinds of giddy goat shenanigans. Plus, research shows goats are just as smart as dogs, and are very social, emotional animals who gravitate towards people who are smiling. (Yes, some scientists have lucked out, getting paid to research the emotional lives of goats.)

And hey, similar to Valentine’s cards, we could send people (especially ones who might be feeling down, e-cards and text messages saying, “You’re the GOAT!” Then list the reasons why.

Still not convinced? Tell me, what astrological sign does the third Monday in January fall under? Capricorn – the GOAT! Coincidence? I think NOT!

Let’s offer everybuddy some comfany this week, and every week. When Dan was in first grade, he wrote a story in which he spelled the word “everybody” as “everybuddy.” I thought it was a much improved spelling, frankly, and that perhaps the world would be a much kinder place if we all spelled it that way. But his teacher didn’t think so, and crossed it out with a red slash of her pen in a big crimson X.

Funnily enough, I came across Dan’s story in a box of memories during our recent move, and it actually was about all the ways we should be kind to everybuddy. Maybe the spelling was intentional after all.

So long story short, I’m taking a page from Dan’s book this year and will offer as much comfany and kindness to everybuddy that I can, especially those who suffer from SAD, depression or anxiety, have suffered misfortune this year, or who are simply weary of COVID.

May you also experience comfany this year, whether you're on the giving or receiving end, whether in person or quieting listening on the other end of the phone or the Zoom call, or sitting in comfortable silence.

And Happy Cute Baby Goat Day to you all.

“I love you more than I love goats, and you know how I feel about goats,” Gaby said. ― James Patterson, The Christmas Wedding