Hugs

When I left my workplace yesterday, I was greeted by a couple of young women standing on the sidewalk. Three more people were standing closer to the street. They all held up large signs, "Free Hugs," and called out, "Do you want a hug? They're free!" Striped Hershey's candies? No, real hugs. Umm—well, okay. And I took several—five in all. They explained that it was International Free Hugs Day, and they were there from a local cosmetology school to give out free hugs.

Well, I'm not sure the huggers were right about the date; I found information to the contrary. But their hearts were in the right place. There actually is such an observance, designated by the founder, Australian "Juan Mann" (a pseudonym), as the first Saturday following June 30. Many organizations such as schools or retirement centers, or even whole communities, have their own initiatives set on other dates. Apparently I got in on one!

Virginia Satir, a prominent American psychotherapist and author, was especially noted for what was then (mid-20th century) a novel idea: that clients' "presenting issue," i.e. the surface problem, was seldom the real problem. Instead, how people coped with the issue created the problem. She was extraordinarily sensitive to the nonverbal aspects of communication, and believed if she could help her clients see, hear, and feel more, that their own personal and interpersonal resources would lead them to find the solutions. It's not surprising, then, that we get this famous quote from her: The recommended daily requirement for hugs is: four per day for survival, eight per day for maintenance, and twelve per day for growth.

Consider the benefits: Hugs don't require special equipment, there are no parts to break or batteries to replace, and no periodic tune-ups are required. They are naturally sweet yet non-fattening, are all-natural and preservative-free, and have no artificial ingredients. There are no monthly payments or insurance requirements and they are non-taxable. Hugs are low energy-consuming but have a high-energy yield and are non-polluting!

Of course, there are sensible cautions. One shouldn't indiscriminately crush everyone in an unexpected bear hug. But there are other sizes too. A-frame (upper body) hugs, cheek hugs, sandwich hugs, group hugs. Hugs to ask for if you need one. Hugs you ask if you may give. No appropriate person around? Hug yourself. Hug your pet. Hug a tree.

The Bible doesn't talk about hugs specifically, but hugging wasn't the social norm then and still isn't in many cultures today. Kissing a hand, one or both cheeks, or even air-kissing is for them more acceptable than embracing. The Apostle Paul told the Christians at Rome, Corinth, and Thessalonica to greet one another with "a holy kiss." Peter encouraged "a kiss of love." The point these writers were making is this: greetings that one might normally reserve for family or close friends is appropriate among the family of believers as well. Some families are really hug-gy, some are not. Some church groups are really hug-gy; some are not. When you're among huggers, I encourage you to be a hugger. Or at least a huggee.

MaryMartha

Info about Satir—http://psychotherapynetworker.org/component/finder/search?q=virginia+satir
Satir quote— http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/v/virginia_satir.html