My Parents' Comforter

“Time passes, and things change, but there are some things we can hold onto.”

Growing up, a family movie night did not begin until the popcorn was made and my parents’ navy blue comforter was laid out on the floor. It didn’t matter what we watched. As long as the comforter was under my bum and the popcorn bowl was next to me, I was happy. Once the popcorn was gone, without fail, I would fall asleep. Each movie night would end with my mother waking me up, telling me it was time to go to bed. She’d unroll me from the comforter and escort me to my room. I always hated leaving the comfort of the comforter.

When I would get sick, I would request that my mom let me sleep on her side of my parents’ bed and cover me with the blue comforter. She would leave the room to get me some medicine, but when she’d return I would always be asleep. It wasn’t difficult to drift off to sleep when the comforter was around me.

I remember the Christmas I was given my first comforter. Realizing that their comforter wasn’t going to last another sick day or movie night, my parents gave me a forest green one. That night, I felt like a grown up bundled up tight in my comforter. While it wasn’t my parents’ comforter, it worked the same magic.

A few years ago, I was once again given a comforter. This one is navy on one side/red on the other. It was meant to replace the beat up green one, but, instead, it is treated as a spare. I am loyal to my green comforter just as my parents were loyal to their blue one.

One day, when I’m a parent, I can see myself buying my child a comforter. Like my parents’ my co-parent and I will grow tired of having our comforter stolen by our little one. At that point, we’ll decide that they’re old enough to have one of their own. With the hope that it will allow us to regain control of our comforter, it will be a present more for us than for our child. Like I did, I’m sure they’ll still sneak our comforter from time though. I will understand completely. You just can’t give up on the comforter you fell in love with.