Has hugging become the new handshake?

Have you noticed lately there’s a whole lot of hugging going on?
Hugging anybody and everybody seems to have sneaked into our culture
over the past ten years. People I used to run into and exchange
pleasantries with, now want a hug first.
Okay, I’m cool with that, but it’s been a difficult transition for
someone who came from a long line of non-huggers.  In fact touching in
general wasn’t the norm in my family.  We didn’t love each other any
less, we just weren’t huggers.

I spent the entire weekend with a friend training for the marathon.
I ran into her on Monday morning thinking a hug wouldn’t be necessary
since I’d seen her less than ten hours before.  Nope.  She swooped in
like a DC-10 and gripped me in a strangle hold. You’d have thought we
hadn’t seen each other in 15 years.
So suddenly our culture has passed on the handshake and taken to
hugging - and not just close friends, but mere acquaintances, and
sometimes perfect strangers. Often, we even hug coming and going.
Whenever I join a group of people, I never know whether to hug or
not to hug.  I try to size them up first before going in for the
clinch.  But even then, I usually let them make the first move.
at: www.deludeddiva.com/.../
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The announcement went something like how would you like it if the
teachers were hugging in the hall. The students are told that hugging
should be done on their own time not during school.

Let me tell
you that I do not understand this situation. Inappropriate touching
such as kissing between boys and girls is one thing...but not hugging a
friend? That's another.

Human
touch is a fundamental necessity of life. Yes, touch is important. Many
a baby has failed to thrive when human touch is out of the equation. No
matter how much food and or medication as person is given for what ever
ailment if they are not touched they will not make it.

When you eliminate contact with another person there are direr consequence to be had.

I was very happy to know that the kids ignore this rule and give each other hugs anyway.
Have you hugged someone today? If no one is around, hug yourself and
(the cherry on the top) tell yourself how much you love you!


at: radiantswan.blogspot.com/