#31 Rest is soft

Offering myself blankets of self-compassion in this moment

Rest is soft.

Joy is soft.

Both are powerful.

This is helping me, as a queer biology professor & nervous system nerd:

It makes sense that your nervous system is upset. It makes sense that your body is weary and achy; our nervous systems are in our whole bodies.

It's okay to rest. Rest and care sustain us. Taking care of your nervous system is important.

When we find our ways back to our present moment where our bodies are, we can find joy and delight in small things. These acts are powerful and revolutionary. Joy, grief, anger, fear--they co-exist.

I love drawing with paper for myself. It’s a soft thing.

Here’s a small sample of my birds. I hope you find moments of rest and delight, too. We all need it. Sending you all hope for moments of softness.

Thanks for reading Soft Things: comics about science, research, and being human. I create narrative comics that intertwine research and storytelling to make science relatable. My comics have been featured in the Washington Post and Mutha Magazine, among other outlets. My graphic memoir is forthcoming from Street Noise Books in April 2025. You can pre-order it from your local bookstore and elsewhere. If you’re new here, welcome! You might wonder why I’m curious about shame, why this newsletter is called Soft Things, and who the heck I am, anyway. For more comics, check out my Instagram: @cara_gormally and website.