If everyone in the world got three hugs (and a backscratch) every day, we’d have world peace.
Many of us are deprived of touch, skin hungry, and yet
we are afraid of our space being invaded. Hugs are a way to bridge the gap without crossing the line.
Hugs are not sexy. Cuddling is sexy. Hugs are friendly, supportive, and brief.
A hug says I care. It’s very simple. It’s very cost effective. It works.
Offer a hug to a coworker, even an air-hug will do. Hug your children, your spouse, your mom, your friends.
In a graduate class, one of the members told us that she had touch issues, that she did not want to be touched, but that she wanted to participate in the
group hug we offered. We made a circle around her, not touching her in any way, but surrounding her with our love in a group hug. She spun around in
the joy of it, like a cat in sunshine.
Open your arms to a hug today. If no one shows up to accept, hug yourself. You deserve it.
Hiya, Charlotte. I love, love, love hugs. I’m a hugger (and not a back-tapper either but a real hugger). I agree that hugs speak volumes! I love this blog. I smiled to see your comment on outlining; I’m not an outliner at all. I sort-of know where I want to go but I let my writing flow where it wants. It’s sort-of hypocritical because I always had my students outline!
Rhia
Stopping by from A to Z challenge. I love the name of your website!
Your post reminds me of a play I saw in Japan called “Blue Sheets,” where the main character was a young homeless man who held out a “free hugs” sign instead of panhandling. It was a very moving play about family and home (although in real life, I don’t know if I would be able to hug a homeless person…)
I do like the idea of free hugs, though, and I love how you did a no-touch hug for the girl who didn’t want to be touched. I personally love big bear hugs, though!
Thanks, Nita. I really like big bear hugs too. I included that no-touch story because the person so wanted the love, but was conflicted about the delivery. So this group–a phenomenal group of women–came up with a solution that worked for everyone. It was a blessing. I’m not sure I could hug a homeless person either, but I’d like to think that I could.
Also stopping by from the A to Z Challenge. As someone who has issues with physical contact as well, I loved the story about the no-touch group hug. It’s wonderful that you found a way to include her, when so often people with touch issues are treated as being standoffish or broken.
Learning to be open to the needs of others is a lot more loving than insisting that they do what is more comfortable to you. Because she was a performer, it was easy to understand why she needed both space and loving approval. We were happy that we could make a compromise and not squish or smother her.