Lola's Child: hugs

Monday, January 24, 2011

hugs

One of the greatest blessings in my life is waking up to my husband's kisses all over my face. When I finally open my eyes he says "good morning, I love you!" and pulls me to my feet for a long morning hug. Like a lot of people, I hate waking up in the morning, but this ritual of ours makes the transition from night to day so sacred (and I feel so spoiled). That hug reminds me of what is important in life, and I begin my day with a foundation of love and support that I know will always be there.

I haven't always been this lucky in the affection department, but I feel almost addicted to my husband's affection. We make sure to give each other at least a few substantial, real hugs every day and doing so seems to alleviate so many of life's problems. So it made perfect sense to me when I began to read articles about the scientific effects hugs have on our bodies. Hugs send a surge of oxytocin (the feel good hormone) throughout our bodies; actually lowering stress and blood pressure, improving our mood, increasing our tolerance for pain, and increasing our trust for the person we are hugging. I hate to be cliché, but take one a day!

My wake up hug this morning led me to write this, but also led me to start mining Etsy for some hug-related items. I have struggled for years to find the perfect artwork for my bedroom walls, wanting it to feel inspirational and symbolic of the love I hope to always maintain in my life. Why hadn't I thought of it before? Hugs! The fine art prints below would be perfect! I have got to purchase one in the very near future! And, the other items are just plain adorable.