Covals

That’s interesting. Yes I have, usually sitting outside in the sun (you may need me to define that) and suddenly feeling Gosh, it’s good to be alive. Lovely feeling.

Never heard of that definition, I’ve only come across it as being short for covalent.

Not a word I’ve come across before now but certainly a feeling I do experience often. Not the big moments of joy such as the grandchildren running towards me with arms outstretched but the little moments of contentment.
We have spent today shovelling and spreading gravel. Just stopped for a cuppa on the patio. Roses still in bloom, lavender and marigolds at their best and the leaves on the trees just changing colour and yes, that was one of those feelings that just washed over me.

Never heard of it and not sure I ve had any I stay fairly even no big highs or big lows I do have moments of worry and fear and moment when I feel happy and content but nothing massively up or down

The article in which I read about Covals wondered if this was what those that have religious experiences have.
Not sure where the name Coval came from.

Oh yes Like* LauraNorder,* it is often the little everyday things that give us this feeling of deep contentment

I googled to find out more but couldn't find anything on the word.

Interesting word which doesn’t appear in the dictionary.

As Blossoming said, there is covalence. Covalence is used in chemistry to describe the number of electrons that a particular atom can share and therefore the number of covalent bonds it can form.

There is chemical reaction in which "weak" hydrogen bonds hold huge numbers of water molecules together, which themselves are held together by "strong" covalent bonds.

The term has been applied in sociology, to human bonding to make the distinction between strong and weak social bonds.

This is from Wiki:

Weak social bonds are believed to be responsible for the majority of the embeddedness and structure of social networks in society as well as the transmission of information through these networks. Specifically, more novel information flows to individuals through weak than through strong ties. Because our close friends tend to move in the same circles that we do, the information they receive overlaps considerably with what we already know. Acquaintances, by contrast, know people that we do not, and thus receive more novel information.

It’s got me thinking about the feeling you describe Aveline and whether that ‘wash” is more or less likely to be triggered by someone we know less well (yet) - like falling in love with someone we have just met or the birth of a child. Or even in online social networks where people derive pleasure from positive comments and "likes" from people they may not “know” at all.

Of course, the feeling may not be triggered by a person at all. It could come from being in nature or looking at a beautiful painting or reading a moving passage in book.

In all these things though, a new connection is being made, a new bond of sorts so it’s covalence at work.

Does that make sense?

The info I found was that the person who first described the wonderful feeling was walking along Coval Road! I have no idea if that's true or not. I was just interested in this feeling described. Some felt it as a religious experience.

Oh! That prosaic Aveline. There go my convoluted theories.

I'm obviously a "bear of little brain" Early. I've read your post three times. Perhaps my OH will explain it in the morning.

I do get moments of feeling happy, unrelated to events. It's more a feeling of inner contentment that all is well. I think it's spiritual (for me).

nadateturbe

I'm obviously a "bear of little brain" Early. I've read your post three times. Perhaps my OH will explain it in the morning.

I do get moments of feeling happy, unrelated to events. It's more a feeling of inner contentment that all is well. I think it's spiritual (for me).

Apologies nadatetube. It's quite possible that I've confused that nice Prof Brian Cox trying to make a tortuous link between Covals and Covalence ... and then discovered someone had just gone for walk along Coval Road! Leave OH in peace with hs breakfast.

Oh, I love finding out the origins of words! Maybe Coval Road made that person feel happy.

Oh, me too Blossoming. I'm a fiend for the online complete OED and love the "Lost for words" section - a continuous random selection of unusual words.

The lastest selection includes okada - no not that one - with a k! In Nigeria: a motorcycle which passengers can use as a taxi service.

Learning new words gives me a happy feeling. Maybe not as much as a Coval but happy nonetheless.

I always thought it had something to do with hormones. I remember these moments particularly happening when I was pregnant.

Yes, that's the hormone oxytocin, JackyB which plays a role in human bonding: sex, reproduction, childbirth, and the period after childbirth.

I've not heard of that word, but I have experienced that feeling. Mostly when I was younger, it doesn't seem to happen now.

yes, quite recently, been going through grieving and and bad times, keep trying. went a walk the day before yesterday, and suddenly, the trees etc were bright! and wow! wonderful, difficult to describe, but amidst the feeling of "happiness" the vision of the trees etc certainly brightened and cleared..a bit like windscreen wipers. I met a lady, walking her dog, never seen her before, but I had to tell her, and thank goodness she responded positively and we stopped to chat , dog included!

Aveline

The article in which I read about Covals wondered if this was what those that have religious experiences have.
Not sure where the name Coval came from.

I have had both types of experience, and I’d say they’re not the same.

Earlynow I'm fully awake your post makes more sense.
I agree the things you described might give you a pleasant feeling (likes on fb etc).

I remember after my first husband and I split up I was staying with my mum until I bought a house and feeling quite down. Then one morning I got into the car to go to work, drove off and noticed the bright sun which had just risen, and got this sudden feeling of joy.

Origins of words, I like Susie's on Countdown.

Oh, I know that feeling polnan after a period or even during a period of profound sadness. A sense of hope, perhaps.

Good nadaturbe. I wasn't trying to baffle with science. Susie Dent would have made a much better job of it.

Just shows how important sunshine is in our lives. If I have to drive westwards from my home in the south east, I try to leave very early and hit the A303 as the sun is rising behind me. Time it right to be near Stonehenge and it's a magical feeling.

I guess anyone who works just to get by in life, lives in a rental, has to worry about paying the bills and wonders what will happen when I’m too old to work (ie me) won’t experience such a feeling.

Very hard for dh and I to feel that way having lost our son in 2007, we do have our moments of happiness but it’s only when we talk about him which makes us laugh at the memories he left us with.
We also have a lovely daughter and gd(our sons) which helps us,

Never actually heard if the word but maybe after a gin and tonic ??. After a very long bout of anxiety when coming out of it i think i felt like that. Fantastic feeling of being relaxed and happy again. The word is too similar to covid for my liking though.