The best Things can't be planned; they just happen.
I was in the checkout line at the grocery store today. The well-dressed older woman in front of me had on a huge button that stated she was an "Official Hug Tester". I asked her what that meant, and she told me that she liked to give and receive hugs at church...and at grocery stores. Before I knew what was happening, she reached over and embraced me! Today I was hugged by a stranger.
There was a time I would have been weirded out by a stranger giving me a hug, but I'm way past those days. I thought the whole experience was pretty awesome. Her effort wasn't half-hearted, either. It was a friendly cheek-to-cheek hug, and would have been even nicer except there was a grocery cart in the way. Afterward, she gave me a small card that said "Free hugs-no expiration date!" The back of the card had her church information.
After I'd paid for my items I walked over to the bagging area. The woman was still there organizing her groceries. I went up to her, thanked her for the hug, and explained how I'd be adding her to my list of activities on my blog. She gave me ANOTHER hug.
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Makes me a little uncomfortable thinking about it! I don't know that I could have been as good natured as you seemed to be. Good story though!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how we restrict ourselves to close contact only with friends and family... I love this idea just don't know I would feel that comfortable being hugged like that...
ReplyDeleteDo you think you could be her, and hug strangers like that? or would you feel more comfortable being hugged?
I've learned to hug (and receive hugs) from people I don't know well as I've journeyed through life. It's a long story...
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I could be on the GIVING end of hugging a stranger-yet. I need to work on that one.
It's funny what you might encounter at the grocery store. A man came up to me at Schnucks last Sat and said, "Looking for this?" He was holding up a wet wipe towel. I said, "Huh?" and he said he saw me looking for it by the entrance (indeed I was and they didn't have any there). I took the towel and thanked him. My guardian angel was looking out for me I guess. About this hugging thing, I don't mind getting one from a nice stranger lady but I don't think I can give one a stranger.
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