Hug Department:  Always Open
~Author Unknown

When you watched this video, did your heart warm to the thought of hugging perfect strangers, or did you cringe? I hope no one has any preconceived notions about me because if they do, they’re going to be disappointed. I’m not a hugger.

I should explain. I hug my kids, still, even though they are young adults. They know when they come home after being away for what typically is a long time now, they’re going to be smothered by Mamma’s unending hugs. Just try to cut in front of me at the airport when they come through the gates! I hug my husband, of course, and my father, my siblings and their spouses, my nieces and nephews and a few huggy friends, but that’s where it ends. If someone is not comfortable hugging, I’m not about to barge into their comfort zone and mess things up in there.

I’m not sure why I’m this way. I love people, the people I love, that is, but It’s unlikely that I’ll ever paint a sign and go into the streets to dispense hugs. This doesn’t mean I won’t hug you when I meet you. Maybe. I’m a wishy-washy, unpredictable, warm yet essentially non-huggy person. But at least I’m honest about it.

I never knew this about myself until I met my husband. He’s very huggy, which may be because of his cultural background (French). His family hugs – a lot. (Sometimes they do the two-cheek kiss, but that’s a whole other post.) I’m getting used to it more and more, but I’m still me.

What about you? Are you a huggy person? I realize this is not a life-changing issue, but every day, many opportunities arise to exercise your hugging muscles or hold back; to hug or not to hug. What do you do?

photo credit: Mahalie Stackpole