Timeless Wisdom [condensed]

Picture two lovers spooning in blissful silence in front of a fireplace on a frigid winter day. Or a gaggle of teenagers squeezing onto a couch for a movie, huddled under a fuzzy blanket in a big tangle of arms and legs. A term proudly christened in Colombia, ARRUNCHIS signifies creature comfort: closeness, warmth and… love.

But more than a moment of quiet intimacy, ARRUNCHIS is a much-needed remedy in a world conspiring to keep us glued to screens, engaged with manufactured outrages and suspicious of one another’s motives. It delivers the true and lasting happiness we feel only when we are connected, physically and emotionally, to those we hold dear.

The verb arruncharse is best translated as cuddling and literally refers to the position of being curled up like a fetus in its mother’s womb – a state to which most mammals like to return for a dose of safety and belonging. 

By all means: Work hard. Chase your dreams. Fly your colors. Speak your mind. But do make time for cuddles: plan ARRUNCHIS. Celebrate the special people in your life by hugging and kissing them. By lying down with them and luxuriating in their affection. You will be better and stronger for it. And should sparks fly, well, turn them into fireworks.