The Power of a Hug

As I watched this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN8CKwdosjE) on YouTube the other day, I was reminded of the power of a hug. I have always been one to show affection to family members, as a reminder to them that they are special to me and that I love them. I have not always been the one to initiate a hug, but I readily receive them. A hug to me can say many different things, and all the meanings are good. From the hug that says "I'm sorry," to "I love you," to "It'll be okay," to "You're a great friend," hugs carry a lot of unspoken power. And for me, I can look back at my past and remember many different occasions, thanks to a hug. I recently learned that when there is emotion involved in something that you do or see, you are much more likely to remember that event. So, looking back I can definitely see where this rings true for me with hugs as a part of the emotion.

There's the time when I was in 8th grade at a band competition, and after we received our group score of a 2 (with the best possible score being a 1), I began to cry because I blamed our less-than-perfect rating on some of the few, miniscule errors that I knew I was responsible for (not letting myself belieive that nearly everybody in the band could claim a few mistakes themselves). The band director saw me upset, gave me a hug, and said something to make me laugh. 8 years later, I remember those details, mainly due to a hug that helped me to "cope," in a way.

Another instance came a few years later when my best friend knew that I was having a stressful week. After finding a friendly card and a bath kit that she had hidden in my locker, I turned around to see her standing there with open arms which quickly wrapped me in an embrace that released a little of the tension I was feeling.

And yet another instance is a little different than the others... this memory comes from a difficult time in my life, when I was convinced that my parents were my arch-enemies more than they were my friends (how completely wrong I was, and sorry for that I am!). I was faced with a challenging truth and tough love, and my dad looked into my eyes with sorrow, hurt, and a plea and he opened his arms up to me. I looked away and brushed past him, leaving him standing there with open arms. If only I would have allowed both him and myself the warmth that that hug could have brought us...

Anyways, watching that moving YouTube video reminded me of the power of hugs, and I hope that you can remember some special hugs in your own life. There are the hugs during good times, bad times, the ones that last 24 seconds, and the ones we refuse, but every hug has the power to make our souls connect for a few brief seconds. A hug can remind us that we are all human and we are all connected; though our experiences are all different, they are also the same in many ways. Don't be afraid...reach out and hug and be hugged. Perhaps God uses other people to give us a hug just when he knows we need it.

And don't forget to open your arms and offer somebody else a hug. It may be just what they need!