My husband was a “hugger.” What a gift to be comfortable enough to reach out to people in such a warm and loving fashion. I recognized this gift before we were even married. My family was loving but not physically so and I saw the reaction in my Mom the first time he gave her a hug. She lit up like a Christmas tree. She did the same thing thirty years later as she lay in her hospital bed. He walked into the room and her eyes brightened and she attempted to smile.
Not all of us are comfortable with hugs. I believe they have to be really sincere and I am turned off immediately by the “universal” hugs that are sometimes advocated in “passing the peace”. Yet, I too have become a “hugger”. Perhaps it is my age. Who can be offended by a little old lady with white hair.
At the Mall yesterday a woman with three teen age girls approached me about the location of a particular store. I explained where it was then asked her if these were her girls. When she replied “yes”, I told her they were beautiful. The girls looked pleasantly surprised at my comment and the mother just beamed.
One of my daughters sent me an email yesterday. She ended it with an “xo”. Two tiny letters but they added such a lift to the message.
It was a signature that little children understand but often gets lost as the years pass. It reminded me of the many long years we had know each other and how many home made cards had been signed with and x and o. It brought back a lot of memories.
The lyrics to a song I always loved said “if you love me and can’t say so, squeeze my little finger”. For some, expressing love physically or verbally, is a struggle. But it can be learned and once learned, it can enrich the lives of others. If you struggle with this problem, find your own special way of saying you care…a note, a phone call, or even your own special smile can make such a difference in someone’s life. “Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34-35
