The Hesitant Hugger

Day 2:  9 Mindful Hugs

My second day into this experiment and I've given a total of 20 hugs.  That seems like a lot of hugging, especially for me.  I have a long way to go to get to 500 in 30 days.  According to mathematics, I need to give 16.6 hugs a day in order to reach my goal.  I guess I better step it up!

As the weekend approaches, I am a little worried that I may not even run into 16 people each day, let alone give everyone I meet a hug.  Oftentimes I prefer to be alone, particularly on the weekend.  This hugging meditation experiment is definitely a stretch for me.

I am a usually happy person and always delighted to engage with others, however that doesn't mean I want to embrace everyone in a 15-second hug.  For example, I ran into a woman this morning who I tolerate well enough, but I just wasn't feeling the urge to wrap my arms around her.  Mentally rejecting her in that moment put me in a strange mood for the rest of the morning.  The result of this dull mood was that I didn't feel very energetic or excited or vibrant all morning.  I didn't even try to hug anyone until almost noon.

"When we hug, our hearts connect and we know that we are not separate beings."--Thich Nhat Hanh

Today I will remember the words of Thich Nhat Hanh and allow the hugs to flow.  I realize that when I mentally reject the thought of hugging someone, I am withholding a gift that may be exactly what they need, or in fact I need, at that moment.