The hug
The embrace
The way we held each other
The way we embraced to greet each other
The personal touch we used to show our people love
Just that human contact

There’s something about a hug that’s just different from the half smile –
-elbow touch
-fist bump
…wave and walk away that we had been doing for over a year now

Something so simple, but so special – we took for granted

I was leaving someone’s house the other night and as we were all walking out, a friend bid me farewell with a hug –

Not the church hug
Not the little pat on the back,
Or the so popular sideway hug, but a proper hug…and for a second it was weird because I hadn’t remembered what that felt like

All in that brief moment, I realised – I missed that the most

…the hug

Simultaneously, all in that brief moment, I felt at ease

The world had started spinning again
We could hug again
We weren’t all the way back to normal
And maybe we would never be, but we were starting to enjoy the small things

Having a “one drink” with friends
Listening to music blast in our ears for a couple hours before we rushed home
Cherishing the beach and river a little more
Being grateful for fresh air and the ability to go outside and take a walk
Sitting down around a table at a restaurant and drinking a glass of wine

Taking grandma to the supermarket
Something she used to love but hadn’t been able to do in a year
Seeing her so excited to be out, made me excited

Taking country trips to Mandeville, reconnecting with old friends, making memories that would’ve otherwise not been a priority
Car rides alone, had become therapeutic

We’ve lost – we’ve lost a lot, but we’ve gained too…

We have learned, more than ever before, that life is so short, so fragile and so precious that we have to live in every moment…
Even if it is you and your two friends with a little speaker playing music in the kitchen at 2 am making corn beef and spaghetti
Even if it is having sleepovers at this big age because of curfew restrictions

As we’re slowly coming out of the chaos and heartache, I’m looking forward and starting to see all the beauty

Love, loyalty, family and friendship are priceless. The world seems brand new; the possibilities endless —

All in that brief moment – from a hug.