an essay on hugs

Many people do not understand that hugging is a serious business.
Don't laugh.
It is.

Hugs have the ability and the power to make you feel awkward, comforted, breathless (quite literally) and loved. They have the ability to show you that there is someone out there in this crazy world that will hold onto you when you need it - such as when you are shattered and broken. Many things can be conveyed with a simple hug. And personally I think that the hug has been shafted in society and that people underestimate it.

I have broken down the world of hugs into 6 categories - yes 6. It seems like it's alot, but really it isn't, I promise.

The Awkward Hug:
The awkward hug occurs when two people who have no business hugging, hug. This usually happens when people are moving from the acquaintance stage into the friend stage. I mean how awkward is it when one person moves in for the hug and the other doesnt? OR when they both decide that hugging is appropriate, but then they think too much about it and mess it up. Such as trying to figure out, as the hug is happening, who's arms go where kind of thing. I mean that's awkward and it's even more awkward when you're on a public street or something and trying to figure this out.

The Man Hug:
The man hug amuses me I'm not going to lie. You know what it is. You've seen it. It's the clasp opposite hands, pull each other in, one arm hug/clasp thing. This type of hug I have to admit is rather versatile. I mean it can be a quick thing that says goodbye or hello. But it can also be a deep kind of man to man hug. I know that men don't like to admit it (stereotypically) but sometimes they need an emotional moment. Sometimes they need someone to hold onto when things get rough. The man hug can definitely cover that need. Like I said, a versatile hug.

The Solid Good Hug:
The solid good hug lumps in all of the hugs that just feel good. The ones where you, for a brief second, can relax in someone elses arms. They're the ones you give and recieve, for example, when you see your mum (hey, mums are special, they always give and get good hugs). When you get or give one of these hugs (from your mum or someone else) you feel good all the way down to your toes. This hug conveys that you are loved very much and makes you realize that sometimes you forget how loved you are.

The Bone Crusher Hug:
The bone crusher hug is a dangerous hug and should not be attempted or received by someone who has breathing problems such as asthma (and if it is - then a puffer should be nearby and handy). This hug I find is generally used with female best friends - especially if they haven't seen each other in a long time. It's the hug that screams OH MY GOODNESS ITS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! YOU LOOK SO GOOD! DON'T I LOOK GOOD? WE NEED TO CATCH UP RIGHT NOW! It's the hug that actually hurts and actually takes your breath away. It's a very good hug however, it gets the energy flowing and tugs on your heart strings. It is also garenteed to make you laugh - probably into hysterics.

The Hold On For Dear Life Hug:
This hug is crucial. It's the hug that you give someone or you receive when you have been stepped on and broken - spiritualy, emotional, mentally. It's the hug someone gives you when you are on the verge of giving up, when the world has turned into a cruel place. It's the hug you give when someone's heart has been shattered. It's the hug you give when someone needs to just fall apart and cry.
This hug shows why hugging is so important and so necessary to life. Everyone, at some point in their lives suffers terribly. They lose it and fall apart completely. The person who gives this hug holds the sufferer together. Holds them and carries their burden when that person simply can't for the time being. The person who gives this hug becomes a lifeline. Never underestimate how necessary this hug is.

The God/Universe Hug:
Insert which word depending on your beliefs, but this hug is given by God or by the universe. It's a hug that you feel inside yourself. It could almost be called a Soul Hug. It's when the inside of you is touched and you feel that everything is right with the world, or that everything will be right with the world. It's when you feel like anything is possible. Sometimes it needs a trigger, like when you see a random act of kindness, such as a man buying a subway sandwich for a homeless man because it's the right thing to do. And you hope. Or when you have that crazy perfect day, which is one of those days that you will remember forever. The universe speaks people. It's hugs. Watch out of it.


See, I bet you that you never really thought about hugs this way. Hugs are important. And I'm sure that there are many more categories of hugs other than the 6 that I have mentioned. You should think about it. And maybe, just maybe, the next time you give or receive a hug you'll pause for a second and realize how necessary hugs are, and that the power of hugs should not be underestimated.
HUG!
(crap that HUG! needs a category. I leave it to you dear reader ;)