It's International Hug Day!!!

This video gives me a warm feeling. Really, what’s the harm in a few hugs? I have a habit of signing emails, HUGS. And I love to give them. This is probably not a day those fearing H1N1 will want to observe. LOL but a great day to hug family and send cyber hugs to friends on the internet all over the world.




International Hug Day has come at the right time, just as we all start fighting our way through crowded stores and cursing at inept drivers while in traffic jams. Before you reach your boiling point, you don’t have to physically do it (they would probably body slam you) but think about just giving the SOB annoying you- a hug. First off, can you imagine the look on their face? And when you hug, you have a better chance of letting go of that anger. I did it this morning after a mom cut me off while I was pulling into the drop off lane at elem. school. The thought of giving her a big ole hug made me laugh. It’s just a thought. *shrug* But do try to hug those you know, it’s a marvelous feeling to let someone know they matter to you.

Besides, if you look into it, there are a lot of benefits to hugging.
-A hug has the ability to lower blood pressure and heart rate.
-A hug creates those feelings of acceptance and compassion that can sometimes be difficult to find in our modern world and are hard for words to relate.
-When we experience a hug, we become more relaxed, we are happier, and our entire attitude tends to improve.
-Hugs are sometimes used as a form of physical therapy. Think about it: when you give or receive a hug, you are making full body contact with another person. Medical science has shown contact of this kind stimulates nerve endings throughout the body and increase circulation. Thus, some physical rehabilitation centers use hugs of various kinds in order to stimulate nerve endings and increase blood flow throughout the body.

Remember to ask before hugging someone you don't know that well. some people just aren't huggers.

I’ll leave you with some quotes about hugs:

-"You can't wrap love in a box, but you can wrap a person in a hug." unknown author

-"Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you." Jacques Prevert

-"A silent hug means a thousand words to an unhappy heart." unknown author

-"Oh I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug 10 people at a time." Drew Barrymore

-"A hug makes me feel happy." Stephanna Lynn Barrett

- "I have a present for you, but I need to borrow your arms for wrapping paper." unknown author
A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange. ~Author Unknown

May you be surrounded by those worthy of your hugs,
and with your permission-
HUGS,
Mari