If you are feeling imprisoned by winter there is a spot where sun blooms: the fireplace. During forty years in Ohio I found solace in those burning logs and named them the sunshine of winter. 

   Our fires, of course, are weak substitutes for the fire in the sky. Winter can bring moods as grey as its clouds.

   That is why it is so important for you to cultivate comfort. Outdoor walks are important. Indoors, books are always a fine choice.

   Yet, ever since the delivery men hauled a television set into our home in 1951 I've been in love.

   A huge piece of furniture encased our ten-inch version. A test pattern decorated the screen until, around five in the evening, electronic snow scattered Mount Whitney's peak heralding the arrival of Jack Benny, "Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour" and, best of all, movies.

   To this day, it is film that brings me some of the warmest comfort. My favorite movie-when-I'm sick is "Groundhog Day."

   TCM is also a great friend. There, I can join my pal Humphrey Bogart in his search for the Maltese Falcon, sit in Rick's Cafe as he romances Ingrid Bergman and search for gold with him in the Sierra Madre.

   Because of DVDs I always have the luxury of boarding a Hitchcock train with Farley Granger and Robert Walker or strolling the streets of Bedford Falls with Jimmy Stewart. A push of the button and "Seinfeld" brings laughs.  

   Most people like to deny that they watch television. But, it is a great invention if you choose carefully. I never tire of watching Ken Burns' brilliant documentary on PBS, "The Civil War."

   Shortly before he died at age ninety my father said "Well, I guess I've watched enough Columbos." I found the comment heartbreaking but the truth is Peter Falk brought healing moments to him as he lived his final days with prostate cancer. 

   What comforts you? Why is that important?

   Your quiet joys are not guilty pleasures. Cultivating your comforts provides the rest you need to live Love. 

-Erie Chapman