RUNNEMEDE REMEMBERED

Growing up in a small town in Southern New Jersey


Sunday, May 23, 2010

Hugs

This is a picture of my brothers (Mark on left, Carl (Dit) on the right) and me. My how we've aged.

Followers of this BLOG know that I have fibromyalgia. That diseases causes me to have pain when people touch me -- most of the time, that is.

So, I was really not so looking forward to meeting the entire family at dinner because I thought -- uh oh, painful hugs.

Well, God was good.

Most of the time children's hugs aren't painful because I can mostly control them. In other words, I do the hugging, the kids just stand there and accept the hug, except for the girl children. But even so, they don't have the strength at their young ages to squeeze quite as hard as an adult.

So, when I first met my youngest brother and his wife (my oldest brother knows of this affliction and doesn't touch me) I was reluctant to hug them, so I didn't. But we met prior to the dinner at the diner where we were all going to congregate, eat, and then head home for a night of reminiscing.

However, when the rest of the family arrived at the diner, I thought, oh well, I'll probably never see these nieces and nephews again, and all these grands again, so I'll bite the bullet and hug.

And hug I did. No problem at all.

I still hadn't hugged my youngest brother and his wife.

We all went back to the house and talked and looked at family albums for hours after dinner, and when my brother got ready to leave, I said, "Dit," that's his nickname, "Dit, give me a hug." Now this brother is big and strong, albeit 60. But what a joy to get that hug. No pain, just happiness that I could receive it.

Now, we're on our way to church where I'll be meeting and greeting friends and other family that I haven't seen for more than 20 years. God will be good again, I'm sure, and allow me those hugs.

ttfn



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