A couple of days back when I met my ex-boss CM, while parting I mustered courage to ask him "Just give me a hug" and he did. I love him a lot & it was an overwhelming feeling that left me speechless for a while. A hug has such a power expressing more what thousand of words can do. When I saw Munnabhai MBBS for the first time, I was really surprised that Munna is practicing what I believed - hugging. May be I grew up watching Hindi movies, hugging the friends while meeting after a long time, else while parting came natural to me. Also being an introvert I felt more comfortable with action than words. I feel we southies are having some inhibitions in expressing our affection physically in public like holding hands, hugging, touching elders feet etc. Worse is that many times hugging is misunderstood here in Tamilnadu.
Still I keep hugging and hanging around my mother, may be thats why she feels very secure and comfortable when I am around. Last evening my kid friend Viggi & his family came after a long time. Since his father had come in a vacation, I noticed Viggi always hanging on him hugging without speaking much. His face just expresses the calm affection and love. My belief in hugging was validated by Viggi. Many a times I have noticed that a hug just does wonders, especially with kids. Also we cannot hug every stranger but only the friends whom we love a lot and who matters much. Once there was a gross misunderstanding between my friend cum room mate in UAE. But when we started talking out, I realised that I was wrong. Words couldn't come out easily out of embarassment, all I did was just hug him tight. All the bad blood were cleared instantly.
In South India generally hugging is assosiated with lust. When you hug your friend for the first time, many eyebrows are risen. We can easily make out the intentions behind a hug whether it is for genuine or some unhonourable intentions. Do we hug our dear friends with sex in mind? Nope. I almost gave up hugging my friends once. When I was in UAE I had a problem with one friend. One day he called and asked "Are you a selective homosexual? Now I understand why you are hugging guys". I was shocked and frozen. For next 2-3 days I felt embarassed even to have a hand shake with not only my friends but even colleagues. Then I realised that he had been successful in hurting me. I have no alternate intentions, so why should I budge to his vulgar comment. Then I resumed normally.
After that Munnabhai series came & 'Jadhu ki jhappi' became very fashionable. Now I am much relieved. I try to make my acquintances feel comfortable by putting hands around the shoulders, hugging and kissing the kids. Not everybody gets the privilege of getting hugged by me except very few people I really love, dote on and feeling comfortable with. After all unexpressed love is lost. Now my Viggi & nieces who are growing up also equally doting on me by hugging me, resting on my lap, holding my hands. Believe me.... I feel a bliss on those times spent with them. Shed your inhibitions on getting physical like holding hands, hugging and kissing. An action speak more than words. Why unnecessarily bother on crooked minds who might misunderstand. After all people who know us only matters. I love hugging the people I love, dote on... nobody else's opinion doesn't matter for me.
