Oh the power of a hug! My friend, a brilliant writer who stirs the depths of souls with the weavings of her words, Madelyn Mulvaney, talks about hugs in this AMAZING post — all about touch, and how important it is for authentic, loving, human connection. I throw my hands up in the air — just love this gal!…
Today I thought it would be nice to talk about ‘touch’ as a magnificent way to smudge oneself with a little self love.
The opening scene in the film ‘Love, Actually’ is my favorite of any film ever. It takes place at the arrivals gate at Heathrow airport and shows friends, lovers, and family members meeting one another after various absences using real live footage of reunions. There is a lot of hugging in slow motion and smiles abounding with all that shining emotion and before you know it I am sobbing from the sheer heartfullness of it all. Every. Single. Time.
This deceptively simple scene makes me feel as if I have been invited to cross a sacred threshold to witness a deeply intimate and precious connection mysteriously transcending the physical presence of everyone gathered at that gate.
When I watch this scene, I feel as if I can see the very souls of those loved ones reaching out for one another in that airport and it gives me goosebumps. So darling!
This morning as I write in my journal in my tiny studio I am turning over the idea of ‘touch’ as one of the most beautiful and deeply transformative ways to love oneself.
The language of a loving touch more than any word can dissolve all emotional distance. There is tremendous presence in a heartfelt hug, a gentle caress, a tender squeeze to the hand that transmits care, warmth, belonging in the most divine way.
A loving touch is delightfully immediate, present, and powerfully engaging. It communicates magnificent depth of love when words fail for oneself and the receiver of the hug. Wrapping your arms around a friend you magically become entwined, a part of one another. What an immense offering! Such a stunning exchange of soul! It’s like a miracle really, the ultimate lightness of being.
I truly feel as if our world is longing for more touch. Starving really. We ache to be closer with one another, to be held, to be nourished in our relationships and the faster our world spins with all our disconnectedness , the less time we seem to have to warmly ‘reach out and touch someone.’ After all we are physical beings here on this earth, and our ability to share ourselves with each other through touch is an enlightenment.
I think you will love this. On youtube there are a series of yummy free hugs videos I completely adore which show people standing in public places with a ‘free hugs’ sign. Whenever I feel the need for a potent love cocktail I click on one of these videos and once again I find myself filling up, spilling over.
Here is something that occurred to me while watching these videos recently. I’m just so excited I can barely stand it.
Hugging someone is so easy, it sort of takes your breath away.
For the month of February I am going to work on my repertoire of hugs ~ a beautiful way to smudge oneself with a little self love!
About the Magnificent Madelyn:
Madelyn Mulvaney is a writer, photographer and artist educator. Her writing and photography has been featured in publications and on book covers around the world. However the most significant achievement about her is the love she shares with her family and friends and the ways she is daily moved to make a difference in our world. Madelyn lives in a magical house (circa 1941) in the mountains with her cherished family and three loveable dogs.
You can visit her website here… madelynmulvaney.com