A Soft Place To Fall

I LOVE pillows. I have 14 pillows on my bed: six are for sleeping on, and eight are decorative. It might seem excessive, I mean, who really needs six pillows under their head to sleep on, but they’re soft, they’re cozy, and above all, they’re comfortable! I usually sleep with three or four on the bed, one or two actually beneath my head, and throw the rest off. As for the decorative pillows, they’re always on the floor because I hardly ever make my bed; I prefer the tousled look, of course, not in terms of appearance, but for the comfort factor. Certainly a well-made bed is much more attractive than a disheveled one, but looking at my ruffled bed makes me feel soft and warm inside; it’s a matter of stiff versus floppy, and I prefer to flop. I like when my pillows are everywhere and my sheets and comforter are pulled up and kicked around. When I walk into my room at nighttime, I stand in front of my bed and it’s like looking at a big mountain of white cotton fluff…who wouldn’t want to fall and wrap themselves up in something like that? Forget untucking and flop right in!

Then you get to thinking: there are so many different varieties of pillows! Some are feather, some are down, others are foam, and let’s not forget hypoallergenic! The list goes on: there are firm pillows, soft pillows, neck pillows, lumbar pillows, accent pillows, and throw pillows. There are bath pillows and even pillows you can request when flying on the airplane. The pillow market is no doubt a multi-million dollar industry! The truth of the matter is, people like comfort. This nation is one that is overworked, pressed for time, always on the go. It’s no surprise then when it comes time to stop and break, people want to unwind with a soothing device by their side, specifically designed to appeal to their comfort and relaxation.

When I sleep, I often do so while hugging my pillows. Mine are stuffed with down and feathers…a down comforter with down and feather pillows, it’s no wonder I could sleep all night and day. But pillows are so much more than sleeping apparatuses and room ornaments. Although they are most often used for purposes related to sleep, they’re also used as tear sponges; I know I’ve cried into my pillows more times than I’d like to remember. On a silly day, you can use them in a fight, and when you’re young, pillows can be the foundation of great forts. My personal favorite role of the pillow, however, is that it is the ideal instrument for escaping to dreamland. Oh to sleep and dream! There is truly no better pastime*