it was yesterday, before i got in my car to head home, that a friend of mine properly showed me how meaningful a hug can be. i won’t even tell you exactly what the interpretation of the hug was, because that is simply neither here nor there. but i will give my opinion on what i’d like to call the Principles of Hugging. in addition to these principles, i’ve included a kiss factor that describes the appropriate kiss for a situation if it applies.
1. The Back Tap. I call this that ever-so-gentle pat on the back that people give others when they are greeting someone out of mere courtesy rather than caring. it usually involves one arm stretched behind the subject’s back, with the bodies separated enough to leave personal room between the two. it is an impersonal, “hello and goodbye” greeting and i’d be slighted to even call it a form of a hug. Kiss Factor: one on the cheek, if even.
2. The Uncomfortable Grasp. This is that awkward hug that is almost forced for whatever reason. Sorta like when you know the conversation is ending but you don’t quite know how to initiate the good-bye that preceeds the hug. Even harder is trying to figure out who should initiate it. these hugs are as annoying as they are common. it could be because you like the person and are shy, or it could be because you’d rather kiss them but want to try hugging them first to see what the chances of slipping a kiss in are, or maybe you just aren’t that familiar with the person and don’t know how to handle the situation. i say just say your good-byes and initiate the hug yourself to get it over with. Kiss Factor: shoot…if you even manage to get that far. if you succeed, it’s probably going to be a peck.
3. The Lover’s Embrace. do i really need to explain this? it’s that annoyingly annoying (yeah, i said it) hug that two people who are sickeningly in love share…it probably involves kisses but who the hell can tell when they are so entangled like that? (ok, clearly i’m against couples right now. but can you blame me?) Kiss Factor: ….hm. take your best guess.
4. The Longing Linger. it could be because you haven’t seen each other in a while, or maybe it’s just that you love each other’s presence so much that appreciating the hug before anything else is that important. i love these hugs; they are so genuine, because it usually sums up all the feelings that a person has for you in one single sweep of the arms. the more you’ve missed someone, the longer you’ll hug them. Kiss Factor: something so long, soft and sweet that it’s adorable.
5. The Hang-me-on. sometimes the hug is five seconds overboard; sometimes it’s so long that you forget the need to let go. but with the Hang-me-on, someone is simply taking advantage of the damn situation. you may not even want to hug them, but they sure are making it clear that they want to hug you at a minimum. a tricky situation to get out of too… i usually pretend that something is itching my leg or that i’ve dropped something so that i have an excuse to bend down and thus free myself. (it works everytime.) Kiss Factor: some negative percentage that i need not specify.
6. the Silent Seduction. Bless the soul of anyone who experiences this hug. it is all types of dangerous. it is that grip of wanting that you can only escape once the person releases you. trust me, no dropping of imaginary objects or bites by imaginary bugs can save you from this one. you may as well enjoy it and i hope, for your sake, that it’s with someone you want that kind of hug from. let’s not even talk much about the length of the hug, which is long enough to remember but short enough to crave. what i really want to analyze is the strength of the hug. and yes, these hugs come in degrees. the tighter the hug, the stronger the emotion. it is that simple. a person can tell you exactly what he or she wants to do to you, down to the location, position, and music, with this kind of hug. it sends the wrong kind of messages through the brain of the attacked, the subliminal ones that you won’t admit you are thinking right away but your conscience will remind you later, i promise you. if you ever experience these with someone you have even the SLIGHTEST curiosity for, then i suggest you run away or prepare yourself for some mental frustration. Kiss Factor: damn if i know. ain’t no telling with these kind of hugs.
so there you have it. hugs in a nutshell. ^_^