I recently became acquainted with the word ‘gheegle’ which is a Filipino word which means “The irresistible urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute”. It’s a brilliant word and its a pity that English doesn’t offer up something equally as descriptive. But that’s the funny thing about English.
Anyway, I digress.
Today the sun was shining with a fervour that spoke more of summer than spring and my girls and I encountered nothing but lovely people everywhere we went. And every other moment one or other of my girls would do something, or give me a look, or a laugh that made me want to gheegle gheegle gheegle.
Sometimes my love for my daughters is such a physical thing I want to shout it from the rooftops, hug them, kiss them, squeeze them and capture every moment on camera because I have a terrible memory and I would hate to forget a moment of their awesomeness.
My heart lurches. My breathing becomes more rapid. Like with rage I just want to stand and yell. But I want to yell ‘Look world, look at my beautiful daughters’. And while others will see gappy toothed, smiling, mucus monsters I just see two bundles of wonderful.
Now one is slumbering and the other is protesting sleep with the passion that only the very young can and I am content with my world and the little unit of love that is my family.
Gheegle. Gheegle. Gheegle.
