Lessons In Hugging

     Life's biggest lessons aren't learned all at once. They are taught and learned time and time again over years and years. I realized this today when I was with my youngest son in the store. We were walking back and forth looking for something both good tasting and good for you when he suddenly reached over, wrapped his arms around me, and gave me a hug. This made me smile with both laughter and joy. I realized then that even though I hadn't been able to teach my son everything over the years, I had at least been able to teach him how to hug.

     I am so delighted too that all of my children have learned this lesson so well over the years. My daughter's hugs brighten my days and uplift my soul. I have been blessed a million times over by the love and joy she so freely shares with me. My two sons' hugs always bring happiness to my heart as well. It makes me feel good to know that they have learned two of the most important things in life: how to choose love and how to spread joy.

     Remember then that every loving act you do, smile you share, and hug you give teaches all those around you as well. The lessons they share are priceless. Little by little, time after time, and year by year they teach the minds, hearts, and souls of all you touch. They spread God's love and life's joy everywhere. They show all who are watching how to love, how to give, and how to live.

     I hope that someone was watching when my son gave out his own lesson in hugging. A single hug can warm a hundred hearts. Hugs like love, joy, laughter, and smiles travel from heart to heart and from soul to soul until they circle the world. They make us more like the angels and Earth more like Heaven. They help us to give lessons in God's love and wisdom each time we simply open our arms and wrap them around another.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella (joecool@wirefire) -- from 'Inspired Buffalo' (InspiredBuffalo@lighthouse.net) ]