hugs please.

I love Shel Silverstein (author of above poem), but I love hugs even more. At my kindergarten graduation we sang a song called "Four hugs a day". The gist of it goes: "Four hugs a day, that's the minimum. Four hugs a day, not the maximum". What profound advice for such little people. My teacher was preparing us for life. The lesson probably could have gone something like this: "Okay kids listen up. I know you are only 6, but life is going to get really hard some day. Harder then you know now. So you guys need to give lots and lots of hugs, and not just on special occasions but everyday. Got that kids. Don't settle for a life filled with tug o' wars, those are never hard to find. I want you to be different, I want you to love and hug and care for others." I honestly don't remember a ton of things from kindergarten. But this song stuck with me, and probably for good reason.

 I'm sure I could quote you statistics about the benefits of physical touch between humans or what happens if a baby is not held enough, but I think we all know that sometimes we just need a hug. Hugs are great for all occasions: when we are happy, sad, excited or disheartened. Hugs let us show our love for each other, share in the excitement of life, and know we aren't alone. 

Most of the time we get the normal, "hey" hugs. But sometimes we get those great, all encompassing, wrapped up in the other person kind of hugs. Those are the best. 

We can all find reasons to have tug o' wars with the people in our lives, I know I find them on a daily basis. Frustrations and shortcomings never seem to be short on hand. But I like this other kind of war better, it is a war I can get behind. So more hugs are in order. 

Hug someone today. Because you need it, I need it, we all need it.