Have you hugged someone today?

Sometimes a hug is all one needs. A hug conveys so much more than words. The act of holding someone in a hug strips away barriers that often cannot be voiced in words. I didn't always love hugging people despite growing up in a family where hugs and kisses were frequently given. Everyone hugged and kissed at family gatherings - both when arriving and departing.

I guess I never gave much thought to the value of a hug. The past few weeks I seem to have been hugging many people. Recently it was the anniversary of a friend's son's passing and when I saw my friend I gave her a hug and held her for a long time while she cried. Afterwards she thanked me and remarked that the hug helped. There were others I hugged; a person recently diagnosed with cancer, another who recently lost his job and a friend who I hadn't seen in awhile.

Then yesterday I gave away another much needed hug. A friend's engagement was called off and he came  to talk. When I saw him I hugged him for a long time. Initially he pushed me away but I kept holding him. After a few minutes he released from the hug and commented how he really needed that hug.

I thought about how hugs are free and yet so many people have lost the art of hugging. I remember how Princess Diana was so liberal with all her hugs and how she touched so many lives. Hugs are truly so easy to give away, they feel great and I think the more one hugs the easier it gets to give out hugs. Hugging truly is priceless and I believe we all need to start hugging more.

 My question to you - have you hugged someone today?


I love hugs. I also appreciate donations to help this blog keep going ~ Karen

Today I Celebrate 18 Years

Today is my birthday. Today is eighteen years since I felt a lump on my breast. I remember feeling intense fear, sadness, disbelief and so many scary emotions.  I knew in my heart that things would never be the same again. I was diagnosed with breast cancer when my son was five and a half months old. I remember thinking he would have no memories of me. I prayed and hoped I would make the five year mark to see him

step on the school bus so he would remember me. Day in and day out through surgery, grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatments I imagined him getting on the school bus. Whenever I felt sick and wanted to give in I visualized him waving goodbye to me on the school bus. Five years later when the day arrived I imagined sobbing at the bus stop. Ironically the bus never came the first few days and I drove

him to school. It was a dream come true for me to reach five years of survival.

Every year I set new goals for living another year and watching him grow up. Amazingly it is now time to send him off to college as he gets ready to spread his wings and leave home.  Thinking back and realizing I never in my wildest dreams believed I would see this milestone.

I always dream in smaller increments and am so thankful when that day arrives. Now I visualize and dream of his college graduation - four more years please. What a blessing to be alive and healthy. I am very grateful and appreciative for the gift of eighteen years. 

Books that helped me as I recovered:
Dr Susan Love's Breast Book
Full Catastrophe Living - Jon Kabat Zinn

Chocolate

A fun post

Play and Have Fun

Remember to always take time out of your day to have fun. It is good to be goofy, silly, funny and light. Try to bring a smile to the faces of people you meet. As Benjamin Franklin so wisely said "We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing". 
May you be forever young at heart.

Difficult Times

Sometimes so hard to understand suffering and hard times. It is such a huge leap of faith to know that there is a meaning behind the suffering and lessons to be learned.  From my own experience, I can truly say that my greatest personal growth has come from the hard times. Yes, I would love to not have gone through the difficult times - but then I would not be the person I am today. Somehow we need to take the good with the bad. Keep breathing and trusting.