Snuggle

I love to snuggle my children. I find it sacred time. My daughter Shannon has always been a snuggle bug. Even at age four she is always up for a good snuggle. Although it has been more than two years since we rocked her to sleep, she still occasionally asks to be rocked for a few minutes.

My son Jacob is another story. He did not come out of the womb snuggly. He has always been too busy. He prefers a ride on my hip, pointing the way to our next destination. If I ask, he might give me a "hug." This consists of his resting his little head on my shoulder for about two seconds. He is still being converted to snugglebuggness. Although he is almost two, I remain resolute in my attempts to show him the value of a good snuggle.

It's a different story at bedtime. At bedtime, he happily climbs in my lap for his snuggle. I say to him "snuggle Mommy to go night night" and he nods his head as he snuggles in. Within fewer than five minutes, he is usually asleep. I often snuggle him well past this time, just because I can.

Why is snuggling sacred? I think because it is about being entirely present to my child. There is nothing to accomplish other than being close together. There is no doing, just being. I often pray for my children as we snuggle. And I reflect upon how God wants to just cradle us in divine arms, if only we sit still to just BE.