Hey Pandemic, I need a hug.

There are so many parts of this pandemic that have been challenging.   At first for me it was all I have lost due to the pandemic.   I flip the calendar from one month to another and see yet more amazing things that will not happen.   It hurts to look at and know the things I love about summer won’t happen.  

Things are starting back.  We are at the beginning of Phase 2 of reopening.    Now I realize how much I miss the hugs.  Recently we had our Graduation Mass.   I realized how much I have come to love hugging our kids and hugging them with their wins and losses.  

A few years ago I watched a well loved youth minister, Harry, and I marveled at not only how easy he gave hugs but also how the teens came to him and wanted a hug.   I watched him over the years, really watched him.  He was a guy who knew how to hug, give support, give love, but never cross that boundary.  At the time, I loves hugging and snuggling my biological kids, but wasn’t comfortable hugging others kids/teens.  

Now I have come to realize how I moved past this.   I love to hug.   I have a teen crying, I want to give a hug.   I have a student celebrating a milestone, I want to give a hug.  I desperately miss our Preschool room.   I never knew would be in my lap or how many hugs I would give.   It was the best hour of my week.   They are so young and so innocent and when they felt loved they hugged.   

I have slowly been back with our teens and very few of our littles.  I so desperately want to hug them.   I so desperately want to share their pain or their glory.   I pray sooner than later we come to the time I can hug them all and not fear of COVID.