A while back I read an article entitled, “Hugging Can Improve Your Health.” In the article, a Dr. David Bresler, who is the director of the Pain Control Unit at the University of California at Los Angeles, explained that the simple act of hugging can actually be a kind of “miracle medicine” that can relieve many physical and emotional problems in both adults and children. He went on to say that researchers have also discovered that hugging can help you live longer, protect you against numerous kinds of illness, cure some aspects of depression and stress, strengthen family relationships, and even help you get a good night’s rest without using sleeping pills.
As I continued to read Dr. Bresler’s article, he said that 15 years of research had convinced him that regular hugging can actually prolong life by curbing harmful periods of depression and stimulating a stronger will to live. Apparently, when a person is touched by another human being (which of course happens in the act of hugging) a chemical reaction occurs that sends extra supplies of oxygen to all the organs of the body – including the heart and brain – and this increase in hemoglobin helps tone up the whole body, which not only helps in the prevention of disease, but also speeds recovery from illnesses.
“Sometimes I just take out my prescription pad,” said Dr. Bresler, “and write out a prescription for four hugs a day – at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.”
The article ended by suggesting that everyone should make more of an effort in their daily life to hug their spouse, children, close friends, and relatives – and to do so on a regular basis.
When I mentioned all this to an old friend of mine the other day, he asked (with obvious concern), “You’re not going to start hugging me every time you see me or something like that, are you?”
“No,” I assured him, “but I think I may start hugging my kids more often. If nothing else, maybe it’ll help show them how much I love them.”
“Well,” said my friend with a straight face, “my kids have more or less already informed me that they will know how much I loved them by how much money I leave them when I die.”
“I guess that is kind of the American way,” I said, “but I still think I’m going to give this hugging thing a try – at least with my kids. And if it works, who knows, maybe I’ll write a big column about it and the next thing you know, everybody in town will be hugging each other!”
“Well, good luck with all that,” said my friend as he hurried off before I could hug him goodbye.
Later that evening, after dinner, I strolled right into my youngest son’s bedroom, stepped up to him, and gave him a big bear hug.
“Dude, what are you doing?” demanded my 20-something year old son.
“I am not a dude,” I reminded him, “I’m your father.”
“Either way, what in the world was that all about?”
“I just think we all need to do a little bit more hugging around here.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re all going to be taking a long dirt nap one of these days, and while we’re still here on this earth, I think we all need to let the people we love the most know how we feel about them and hugging each other more often is a good way of doing that.”
“You mean you’re going to start hugging me all the time?” my son asked with alarm.
“That’s right.”
“You’re not going to start kissing me on the cheeks or anything like that, too, are you?”
“No, just hugging.”
Within minutes of hugging my youngest son, I got a phone call from my obviously very worried daughter, wanting to know if I was okay.
“Of course, I’m okay,” I assured my daughter. “Why do you ask?”
“Because Kyle just called me from his cell phone and said you were in his bedroom talking about dirt naps and stuff. Plus, he said you had hugged him really hard. Is there something I need to know about?”
“Geez,” I said, “it was just one little hug.”
“So, you’re not feeling ill or anything like that?”
“Of course not!”
“And the doctor didn’t tell you anything bad at that last appointment you had with him?”
“No!” I said.
“Well, it’s just that all of us think you’ve been acting a little weird since your last birthday.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Age is just a number, Dad.”
“I know that!”
“Well, Kyle was just a little freaked out by that big hug you gave him, and I just wanted to make sure you were feeling okay.”
“I’m fine!” I assured her.
A few days later, when I ran into my longtime friend again, he asked me how the hugging spree was going.
“I’m afraid it didn’t really get off the ground,” I admitted.
“Yeah,” said my friend, “I think you have to be European or something like that for people to want to be hugging you all the time.”
“My youngest son said it actually freaked him out.”
“Well,” said my friend, “take it from me, just tell him you’re going to leave him a bunch of money in your will, and everything will be okay!”