A Look At Hugs

It’s the International Free Hug Day, and International Day of Cooperatives

 . Since hugs promote positivity, it might be a good idea to muse over it.

How and why, it started seems very obscure, but not a bad thing to do at all. Somehow touch has become very controversial, on one plane we hug as a duty, or formality with a lack of trust.

Particular when I see people in the space of loneliness, lack of trust I realize what a difference just one hug would make. When my grandmother hugged me, I always felt safe.

A hug is wonderful non-verbal communications. It actually envelopes a person… stretching your arm and taking someone close to you is like you want to take on their pain.

A hug says “I care” it says “you are safe” it says “you belong” it essentially unifies. When words don’t come then the hug says it all. 

“Laughter with those that understand us is music for the soul.
A hug at the right moment and a kind shoulder to lean on,
Is the sprinkle of magic that keeps us walking towards hope.”
― Mimi Novic

I’m not advocating Munna Bai style “Jadoo ki Jappi” but when you hug someone it releases oxytocin that builds bonds and trust. People who are rooted with a sense of belonging are much healthier. 

Interestingly 59% of the people tend to give a right-handed hug. And 41% is left-handed.  Left-handed hugs are shade more often in emotional moments.

The most magical moment is when you a receive a hug when you don’t really deserve it. It evokes compassion and touches the soul.

A famous citation from the American psychotherapist Virginia Satir (1916-1988) reads: ‘We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. And we need twelve hugs a day for growth.”
― Laura Imai Messina, The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World

A hug can cure most things, for the others of course there is bourbons. A smile sometimes can step in for a hug. Essentially hugs are the truest for of giving and receiving. When you give one, you get one too.

The strange thing of love, bonding and belonging is it makes us vulnerable; we love and belong to family. Love and belonging are life, yet we hurt one another. We just do it unintentionally. There is also a need for one another. People tend to hurt people; the hurt wounded person then retaliates and lashes out in anger and in fear. They are something like a porcupine or a wounded dog. Desperately wanting a hug, but if you dare hug them, you will probably be stabbed.

Maybe we could try hugging the person we are angry with, or who hurt us, it is difficult to stay angry and show affection. I’m not very sure though one might just land up taking that hug a little tighter to cause strangulation.

We all need those little moments of conditional gift that says I care… we also need to take care of someone just for the joy of it. This probably could be reason for the popularity of furry pets.

Can You Do This Today?

Hug your family.

Hug your friends.

Hug yourself.