There are two very special afghans (“blankies”) in our home that Dan swears are imbued with palliative powers, and I have to agree. One is ‘The Dada’, made by Dan’s grandmother, Dada, and the other is ‘The Heavy D’, my mother’s favorite afghan that a dear friend made for her and covered her during her final hospital stay. 
As we sit by the fire on chilly nights, and especially if we are ill, we cover ourselves in these blankies, feeling wrapped in the love of our family. For whatever reason, a little bit of magic perhaps?- it always makes us feel better. I have always found joy in the simple things passed down through the generations. There is a certain comfort in this continuity of family love, maybe especially so in a family as broken as mine was. They are anchors to who we are and where we came from, entrusted to us for a short time until we, too, pass them on to the next generation..imbuing our own love to add to the magic.
Post surgery with the Dada and a medicinal Sonic chocolate shake.
The View from Here 