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Hugs

Once, a very long time ago, Litmus Test remarked that I gave good hugs. I remember the comment because it surprised me. It's not like I sat around practicing or anything. All I had done was given her a good-bye hug, and she made the comment unprovoked. Like I've said before, though, I'll take the compliment over an insult any day.

Anyhow, the comment was quickly forgotten over the years. Again, it's not like I sat around practicing how to give a good hug. And frankly, I wasn't sure what I had done in the first place to deserve the compliment. Recently, though, I was reminded of this long lost commentary.

A buddy of mine was having a house-warming of sorts, and I was hanging out at his house catching up with various friends. There was one person in particular who I hadn't seen in a while, so it was good to catch up with her and meeting her boyfriend. We all shared a few laughs and the good times rolled on. As is wont to happen at those gatherings, though, everyone meandered off on their own way after a while.

Eventually, that friend had to leave, so she said her good byes to everyone. When it came to my turn, I reached in for a friendly hug. You know how if you picture a big family gathering, you picture getting a huge bear hug from someone like a grandparent? It's the sort of hug that instantly makes you feel like someone cares about you, and that makes you instantly glad to see that person. That's what I was reminded of when she gave me a hug. Just to be clear, it had nothing to do with romantic feelings, she just gave a really good hug. That hug had that moment/ring of truth feeling to it.

Suddenly, that moment reminded me of the comment all those years ago. What's more, it made me realize that in all the time in between, I'd somehow strayed from that. I realized, to my dismay, that I was giving sub-par hugs all this time. My friend had showed me, by example, what a good hug meant.

I've vowed to up my game again. I need to get back to what Litmus Test once gave me credit for. I'm going to hug people with a vengeance from here on out.
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