It seems I have been throwing kisses most of my life.  Even after I had become an adult, mom and I, after actual hugs and kisses at the door, would still throw kisses with her in the doorway and me at the curb by my car.  Just one last bit of love to accentuate the departure.  We were just that way.  Hugs and kisses were a part of our daily rituals, punctuating our bedtimes, comings and goings.  We were an affectionate family.  What more can I say?

So, as I began my family with my husband, we did the same thing.  I was the one who just naturally started it, as it was not the custom in his family.  My mother was Italian.   Need I say more?

And so, this (wonderful, to me, anyway) habit continued and as time went on I added the “I love you” hand shape from American sign language.  These additions to our greetings and departures expanded again when my young daughter decided to add the throwing of “ooh’ hugs.”  The “ooh hugs” were a combination of a self-hug while saying ooh out loud as the hug was thrown out to the recipient.  That was an entirely new addition to our ritual.  Needless to say, this was just done with family members.

Years later, when I had grandchildren, they decided to add something quite original to this gesture.  When my brother and his wife went out of town we drove by quite often and watched over the house while they were gone.  Each time we drove by, they would throw hugs and kisses at the house.  And so we had to ask them why they did it.  And they said, “So they will get them when they come home.”  Isn’t that the sweetest thing?

So, you can see the value that gestures can have in our lives.  Now that she is no longer here to witness it, I wonder if my mom can see us continuing these rituals from heaven.  I hope so.  If she can, I am sure it brings a smile to her face and a tiny tug on her heart.  She started it and so it continues. Isn’t that wonderful?