By Tonya Brantley

I was going through some family photos recently and came across a picture of me when I was about four or five year's old sitting at a picnic table.

From time to time when my brother and I were little, my parents would pack up a lunch and we would go to the mountains and enjoy an afternoon of hiking and playing. My family did this often, just to get away from it all.

From the picture, I can tell that it was somewhat of a cool fall afternoon, because I have on a sweater and the leaves from the surrounding trees are on the ground.

I can also tell that we must have just finished eating our picnic lunch because I'm eating desert, a Little Debbie Fudge Round cookie, which I wouldn't be eating unless I had finished my lunch.

To this day, I still enjoy those little cookies. Everyone who knows me knows that I love Little Debbie Fudge Rounds. One of the reasons why is because Fudge Rounds are one of my comfort foods.

Some people enjoy pizza, some people enjoy chocolate chip cookies, but give me a Fudge Round anytime and I'm good to go.

Each time I look at that picture, I can't help but smile and think how carefree I look. The only thing going through my mind is the goodness of that cookie and the happiness it gave me.

Although it may seem silly to think that something as simple as a cookie can calm someone down, or make them forget about worries in their life, it isn't really as silly as it may seem.

Whether it is a favorite hobby we enjoy doing, a favorite outfit we love wearing, or a certain snack or meal we can't live without, we all have those certain things in our lives that make us feel comfortable.

Let's face it; our lives are full of stress. This is not a big secret. We all go through stressful situations everyday.

There are many ways of dealing with stress; however, some of us choose to deal with stressful situations by doing something that makes us feel comfortable, if only for a moment.

Especially now, with the economy in shambles and worrying from day to day about one's career or future, it is important to take a step back and relax and remember to do at least one thing that makes you feel at peace with the world around you. For me, it may, more often than not, include eating a special comfort food.

Whatever the circumstance, wherever the place or whenever the time, remember to take a moment to enjoy that special something that brings you comfort.

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