Hugs Rule Part II

It has been said that I am not a particularly tactile person. If that means I don't go around shops touching/feeling everything in sight, then, it's true(!), though I think it's more about the 'look but don't touch' approach of my upbringing.

However, when it comes to physical contact...I would rate a lot higher! At work, the best way to calm a stressy parent, reassure a worried parent, be a 'friendly, approachable' teacher is gentle connection on the hand, arm or shoulder - works everytime (well, with my parents, at least!)

And I love hugs - it is a well known fact. But what annoys me is people who don't! I came across this comment on a website today:

"I just had a heartfelt conversation with a dear friend who recently moved away...to a faraway land where she does grad student things and such.
She's unhappy.
Is she unhappy with grad school?
No.
Her new friends?
No.
The work load?
No.
What is she unhappy with?
None of her new friends are interested in hugs or physical affection of any sort."

To say that I know the feeling is completely wrong, I do get hugs off my friends, but having been at home for two weeks over Christmas where there was hugs galore, returning to my abode is certainly taking a lot of getting used to.

Homesickness has hit this week and ok, I'm fine, I'll get over it, but I could have done with a good few hugs this week. Even predicting what the answer would be, I took the bull by the horns and told someone 'I have a hug-ache' - that's the feeling inside that you can't touch, pin point or itch, its only medicine?....a hug. The answer I received, "And I certainly don't."

Taken from a website:

Hugging is truly in danger of extinction in our society.

A true hug is full bodied. It does not care about appearance, length, etc., but simply hugs and holds, unembarassed of being human.

A true hug may include the touching of cheeks or foreheads. It is a reassurance of existence and relationships.

We, as a society, seem to have become embarassed of this reaffirmation.

We fear to touch our children, to teach them affection, for fear of being accused of molestation or abuse. We fear to touch each other, that we might display some weakness in this independence important, dog-eat-dog world.

And if we lose the ability to touch, then on some level we lose the ability to be human.

Hugging is affection. It's purpose is reassurance, comfort, friendship, saying to somebody "you exist as part of my life and I am proud of that.

Life is empty without hugs. Without being held, reaffirmed by our fellow humans.

Let us hug.