Fun Hugs

"Love has its own time, its own season, and its own reasons from coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it or reason it into staying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you. " -Kent Nerburn

I know I have written about getting hugs from Maeve before, but things have changed.  The baby I gave my hugs to has now started hugging me, spontaneously, and out of joy.  This causes my heart to nearly explode.

I will say this for Yo Gabba Gabba, I think it has done some good in her interest in being affectionate.  Plex, the yellow robot, sings a song called Hugs are Fun, which features some of the more lame lyric-writing on the show; but last time it came on, Maeve ran between Daddy and I, giving one of us a hug, then bolting to the other for another one.  Daddy and I sat there, stunned and happy, like a deer given a salt lick after getting caught in the headlights.

I chalked it up to the show and didn't think that much of it, but then yesterday at the playground, she told me Mommy sit down.  So I did.  Then she ran up to me, said Mommy Friend, and threw her arms around my neck.  The way I felt, you would have thought she had written me a poem or something.  I choked back a few tears and we were off to the next slide.

But oh my gosh, what a difference it makes in your heart when the object of nearly all your affection, attention, and daily work actually gives you a hug.  I mean, there already isn't anything I wouldn't do for her, but now in those really difficult moments, I have a hug in the sunshine to keep me going.

Sunshine on a cloudy day