Day 69 of the 90 Days of Awesome is in the bank! What made today awesome? I got a hug from my friend Chad.

After an exceptionally busy week at work, I was grateful not to have many plans this weekend – mainly working out, errands, chores, and writing. This morning started out with a 4-mile run, and I was pleased to notice how much my endurance has improved in the last few weeks. My day was off to a good start; however, I got some bad news when I got home that took the wind out of my sails. (Don’t worry. It’s nothing earth-shattering and nobody died. It was just bad news for me.)

My day continued with errands and chores, but by mid-day I was exhausted. I treated myself to a nap followed by 2 hours on the couch watching the movie Capote. I was still feeling down when I took Rosie out for her evening walk but I was instantly happy when I ran into my neighbor, friend, and fellow legal eagle and runner Chad Belville. He was on his way to the comic book store. He gave me a big hug and we chatted for a few minutes. That hug lifted my spirits. It’s always great to catch up with him.

Hugs are a simple but critical part of my life and the relationships I have with people I care about. In college one of my friends often said that we needed 12 hugs a day for emotional growth. I don’t know if that’s true, but it works for me.

In case you missed it: Day 68 of the 90 Days of Awesome – I took Rosie for an evening stroll on Mill Avenue.