Thóc, a two-year-old girl at Bees School, gives me a truly special feeling. It’s probably not ideal for someone working at a school to admit they love one child more or feel fonder of another, but every time Thóc hugs me, I feel oddly protected.

Even though it should be the other way around.

The Power of a Hug

G. once said that hugging a child to show love is better than picking them up, even though the latter might seem to express more affection. When you lift a child, you kiss them, nuzzle them, and maybe even want to playfully nibble their soft, rosy cheeks. But when you hug them, you let their feet stay on the ground.

And after the hug, they slip out of your arms and run off to play freely, without clinging or whining to be carried again.

Grounded by Thóc

That rings true for me. I’ve been working for two years now, and the dreamy idealism from my school days has slowly faded, chipped away by disillusionment. Yet, sometimes I still cling to those old dreams to indulge myself. But when Thóc hugs me, and I breathe in the sweet scent radiating from her, I feel my spirit lift—and my feet firmly on the ground.

Even if the ground brings more stress than floating in the clouds.

A Special Kind of Love

And it’s because I’m being hugged. Hugged by a little girl whose voice is always bright and clear, whose eyes are always fixed on Teacher Lâm.

That makes me feel loved in a way that’s uniquely special.

To be loved, to be hugged, to be someone’s special person—what could be more joyful than that?

Love…