What's with all the muffins, anyway?

I have begun to take cooking lessons from Herself. Her specialty is muffins. She has at least a dozen well-established recipes, and has attempted some new varieties in the past few months. They’re usually painfully wholesome (AKA “brown and scratchy”): all whole wheat, minimal sugar, vegetable oil in lieu of butter. Nevertheless, they also include ingredients such as chocolate chips, fruit, cream cheese, or honey, so they’re usually palatable despite being nutritious.

Herself frequently bakes muffins for people at the tae kwon do gym. Most often, she proffers muffins when she learns that they are tired, or stressed, or unhappy. Sometimes, she provides muffins for no specific reason. She also seems to enjoy dispensing muffins to all of the children at the gym, particularly because they are always so very pleased to have a muffin.

What is the root of her muffin enthusiasm? Is there a secret message in the muffins?

After several months of observation, I have concluded that there is a simple explanation:

She loves these people.

Herself is inherently a serious, solitary, slightly awkward and somewhat melancholy creature. Nevertheless, the people at the gym make her feel welcome. They cheer her when she is crabby and encourage her when she is unsure of herself. They bring her packages of oatmeal they have canned themselves. They tell her about their personal histories, invite her to swim in their pools, and share their families. They teach her new skills. They show her their pictures, their playlists, their iPhones. They good-naturedly tolerate her occasional breaches of social etiquette, and are very kind when it’s clear she is outside of her comfort zone. They are good to, and patient with, her Offspring. They are complimentary about her Beloved. They make her laugh again, and again and then again, until her face hurts. They are her friends.

She, in her immense gratitude, wants to return these favors. But how can she possibly convey to them all they mean to her?

She cannot. The best she can do is to touch them, and make them muffins.