Cwtch

Today has been a lazy day. I decided it would be...and it was! :D

A lot of the day I have been very happy to relax in front of the fire which is today's blip. As I sat there, I thought about the people I am lucky enough to have in my life...the acorns that turned to Oaks (see here for this to make sense! ;-), I felt very loved, very lucky and very 'cwtched'.

Due to the part of Wales I was born in...and the fact we moved to England when I was just 10 years old, I never learnt to speak Welsh as a child. We live in a Welsh speaking part of Wales now however, so I am learning.....but a word I always knew, was 'cwtch'. Of course I have always had an understanding of what it meant, but today I decided to look it up. Here is the result:-

'Cwtch' is a Welsh word for an affectionate hug. There's no literal English translation, but its nearest equivalent is "safe place". So if you give someone a cwtch, you're giving them a "safe place".

It is snuggling, cuddling, loving, protecting, safeguarding and claiming, all rolled into one. There is an element of intimacy, earnestness and ownership in this Welsh word (recently adopted into the OED) that the closest English equivalents, "cuddle", "snuggle" and "hug" simply lack.

A cwtch creates a private safe place in a room....or in two peoples hearts. :-) Cwtching is strong affection, made manifest and can apply to lovers, or a parent and child. It is also possible to give a respected associate a non-romantic cwtch. In that scenario, a cwtch would be a heartfelt hug.

Well I just like the word even more now! :)

So.......from me today, I am sending you all a warm, happy, heartfelt, cosy cwtch! :-) Which bit of the translation you decide suits you best........ is up to you ;-)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

XxX