This I Believe in the Power of Hugs

I believe in the power of hugs. Not the diaper brand but hugs that can change the world. How could a germ spreading embrace change the world? The feeling of a hug on a bad day always brightens one’s mood or relieves the stress of something like an upcoming exam. Without a doubt, a hug brings comfort and the sense of belonging to those who need it most. A hug is a powerful, unspoken act of love that seems to always come at the right time.

As a little kid, I never fully understood why people hugged. I always wondered, “What makes hugs so special?” I knew why I hugged my parents, but I was not sure who else I was supposed to hug. As I got older, maybe ten years old, a couple in my church announced they were having twins, a boy, and a girl. With complications during the pregnancy, the baby boy did not live, and the baby girl was born with cerebral palsy. Who would have guessed that at the age of ten I could learn one of the best life lessons from a little girl with cerebral palsy? I sure didn’t. This precious little girl, Rachel, helped me learn a very valuable lesson.

I started to spend a lot of time with Rachel and that was when I found out something very unusual. Every time I saw Rachel she would say, “I need a hug!” As a little girl, I would always give her a hug, but I was not sure why she needed one. This became almost an everyday occurrence. I would see Rachel and give her a hug. Even though she could not hug me back because of her movement and muscle tone disorder, she would get the biggest smile on her face every time. Even from a young age, my day was always made better when I saw something I did make someone else happy. Seeing Rachel get so overjoyed after I gave her a hug made me wonder, “What is so special about hugs?”

Rachel’s treatment and therapy continued, and she would get healthier and healthier each time I saw her. Of course, therapy helped Rachel get better but the lesson she taught me had nothing to do with therapy. Rachel taught me that hugs make you feel better in every way possible. These hugs that I and many others were giving Rachel were part of her healing. Maybe she needed a hug to fill the void left by not having her twin brother. Now that shows the power of a hug! She taught me that when you are given an unspoken, I love you through the gift of a hug, feeling better is always around the corner.

The simple act of a hug has so many unspoken meanings. “I love you,” “I’m thinking of you,” “I hope you feel better,” and even something as simple as “I’m here for you” are all powerful messages sent by hugs. If people would embrace in love rather than reject in hate, the world would be a happier place, and hugs really could change the world. Sweet little Rachel made me the hugger I am today. I now teach people to love hugs, just as much as me and Rachel, because of the happiness hugs bring to both the giver and the receiver.

Even just the simplest of things: the beat of a butterfly’s wings, a pebble in the water, a simple act of kindness, a loving embrace can change the world for the better. So, stop worrying about germs, and instead spread something that has the power to cure everything. Hugs...there’s power in hugs. This is what I believe!