Footprints on the Mountainside

Ugh, this is an extremely wise post from me based on years and years of actual experience. I have learnt that with hugs, what you see, is rarely what you get. I’d like to illustrate some of the salient hug species we see commonly. I say species because after all this time, I have begun suspecting that they have a life of their own.

1. The Affection hug: This is usually initiated by one participant while the other enjoys receiving it. I like this kind of hug and its sub-types: protective, funny and emotional affection hugs.
2. The Space-War hug: This is initiated by the dominant person in a conversation and stated as an affectionate gesture, but one only needs to look at the poor stiff or squirming or uninterested recipient to know how much affection is being conveyed. Such a hug is basically the dominant person’s way of entering the poor victim’s personal space at will. I’d call it an attack.
3. The Obligatory hug: This is the beginning-of-meeting, end-of-meeting, when-we-meet, when-we-part variety of hug - like the Italians saying “ciao” or Spitians saying “Jule” - means everything from “hi” to “Bye”
4. The When-in-doubt hug: This hug is commonly seen after a disagreement or confrontation is mediated by a facilitator, when neither party is comfortable exploring their experience of the conflict. There is a spontaneous need to hug. Such a hug is also called the “Band-Aid” hug.
5. The reflected glory hug: Where you go and hug someone who is very powerful or well-liked, and let the world know that that person is your pal.
6. The sorry hug: Where you hug someone rather than do whatever they want you to do (mostly because hugging takes the lesser effort of the two.
7. The I-can-hug-too hug: The entire world seems to be in love with each other and rather than figure out why, you begin hugging people too.

Ooops! Need to go. Will come back with more info tomorrow.

Feel free to share your own pearls of learning in the comments.