Thursday; November 1

I have never been big on hugging.  In fact, my mother-in-law would make it a point to give me a hug every time she saw me just to keep up the good-natured ribbing.  While I may not, personally, be a big fan of hugging I realize that they can be an important part of our social interaction.  Yes – I did just say that hugging is good!  I realize that in today’s world any type of physical contact or anything that can be misconstrued as sexual in nature is taboo, but that doesn’t mean that it’s true.  Yes, it is possible for someone to misuse a hug, but I also believe that when used with wisdom and (some) discretion they can create a heightened social bond. 
When we hug, we ...
1)  ... demonstrate trust.  Allowing someone to get this close to us demonstrates our willingness to be emotionally and physically vulnerable – in other words we tell the people that we trust them enough to allow them to get close to us.  Physical distance might produce as sense of safety, but hugs promote trust.
2) ... make human contact.  Some people have misused touches and physical contact to appeal to their own sordid desires, but sociologists remind us that to feel loved we need human contact.  It is easy to fall into a belief that all we need to feel validated is a handshake and online relationships, but the warmth of human contact brings something special into our relationships.
3) ... tell people they are worth the awkwardness.  Hugging does not come naturally to many people and it takes a calculated effort to maneuver through the social maze to make it happen.  What that tells people is that they are worth the extra effort it takes to hug them.  Hugging someone can help them feel like we genuinely care about them.
          Let’s make sure we use good common sense when we hug people, but let’s not let our fears constrain our human connection.  In other words – now more than ever – people need people!
         Think About It!

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