We All Need Them

I stood in my bedroom the other night with my son after a busy week. I had just put my pajamas on and was ready for bed, not really in the mood for anything except to close my eyes for the night.  My daughter Julia, who is 7-years-old, was just settling into bed and I hadn’t seen her since the day before so I wanted to connect with her and give her a hug before she fell asleep.

My son was trying to tell me something and I said, “Just a moment I need to give Julia a hug before she falls asleep.”

“Do you think I can have a hug mom?” my 12-year-old son says.

Stopped in my tracks, I said, “Of course sweetheart.” And we hugged heart to heart. I actually didn’t want to let go. I don’t know the last time I really hugged him. Even now as I write this, I get tears thinking about it.

I am still thinking about the experience days later. Not that he asked me for a hug, but how often I am too busy to hug the people that I love or brush by them because they “know” that I love them.

Perhaps subconsciously, I thought that my son was too old for mom hugs, but he actually isn’t at all too old. In fact, children regardless of how old, need hugs, tight hugs, and lots of love. That just doesn’t go for our children, but for our spouses, family, and friends too.

We all need hugs. Give a hug today.