The Material of Comfort by Emma M.

The line between the valuable and priceless today has been severely blurred. If you were to stop two kids in two different neighborhoods and asked them what they valued most, you would probably get two completely different answers. My i-pod, my computer, my cell phone, my parents, my friends, my teddy bear, these things that may mean nothing to one person and it may be the center of another’s life. In my opinion, comfort plays a big role in what people find priceless or valuable. A tub of ice cream, a special movie or song, a piece of clothing that brings back fond memories, or friends and families are just some of those comforting things.

I wake up in the morning, turning slowly to hit the snooze button on my radio. My eyes adjust to the dim light and my first thought is, what will I wear to school today? I gradually get out of bed, swinging my legs over the side as my radio comes back on, the latest song filling my room. My first priority is my jeans. As I walk across my room to the crate, I stare at the mound of possibilities. Will I roll them or will I leave them alone? Should I choose jean shorts or jean gauchos? Endless possibilities fill my mind as I reach into the standing crate and grab at random. It is the perfect way to pick them, in my opinion; otherwise I would never be able to decide.

As any of my good friends could tell you, I wear jeans almost every day. Besides being comfortable, they give me a feeling of comfort. Every time I slip into a pair, I remember the last time I had them on, what happened during the day, after school, what the newest rip on the bottom was from. Each individual memory leaves an imprint- on the jeans and on me. Another thing my friends could tell you about my personal jean selection is that I won’t go for the high priced jeans. Just because they are $90 at the most popular store doesn’t mean that they will give me the comfort I need. As soon as I go into a store, I head right for the clearance rack where there are hundreds of jeans, calling to me to take them home.

Roars of laughter fill the auditorium as I am carried by my arms and legs out onto the stage. Screaming and thrashing, I try to wiggle my way out of their grasp, but, they have a firm hold. Finally, I pull my entire body down towards the floor and fall. Jumping to my feet I run after the culprits, losing my shoes in the process. After sliding through the door, I see them trying to escape, but it won’t work. I am there in an instant, in their faces and determined to make them pay. Noticing that my shoes were missing, I walk back into the auditorium to find them exactly where I had started to run. Well, I think to myself, that was sort of funny.

Friends are one of the few things that make life worthwhile, the ones you can turn to, the ones who understand you. They are my most valuable yet priceless things. I would never trade my closest, best friends for anything in the world. Whether they are girl friends or guy friends, I know that I can always turn to them in a time of need for anything. We can look to each other for help, guidance, support, and comfort.

Comfort is a key word in my life. I love the feeling of knowing everything is going to be okay. Two things in my life bring me the comfort I need, my jeans and my friends. Two seemingly unrelated things are entwined in my life. My valuable jeans and my priceless friends both help me when I am seeking that boost of support. If you were to turn to my friend, she may say something completely different than me, but that is okay. Everyone is allowed to seek comfort in his or her own valuable and priceless thing. It is up to them, though, where they draw that line and where it separates their life.