I bolted awake at 4:30 this morning. My heart was pumping, my eyes shot open and I was flooded with joy. I reached over and held Paul’s arm gently, not wanting to wake him. The joy of a safe arrival of a new baby in the family. Our granddaughter,Olive, joined this world at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
How many times have you bolted awake out of fear, or anxiety? So many times when I wasn’t sure if I would make payroll that week….Or a child was really sick and I had to jump up and check to make sure they were breathing. To wake flooded with joy is a rare and wonderful thing, and I feel so blessed. And tired.
And vulnerable to expressions from the heart. I was thinking of the 5 love languages* early this morning as I lay awake. My first is quality time, duh, I’m a Vistage Chair, after all. My second is, wait for it, physical touch. Okay, if you know me, you know I am a hugger. For the last year of COVID, I haven’t even hugged my kids except for the day Elena told me she was pregnant. So today, I hugged my daughter Gina as she came over to celebrate the birth of her niece and I burst into tears.
Please don’t judge us. We had our masks on, I’ve had my first vaccine and she just got a negative COVID test so she could see Olive in the next few days. I think we all have these moments when we are totally open, and raw and vulnerable.
I hope you find some joy and get to express love today whether it is in a traditional Valentine’s card, or a safe hug, or a call to an old friend. And, check out your love languages: acts of service, gifts, physical touch, words of praise or quality time. Find yours here.
Image courtesy of Etsy