Free Hugs, anyone?

Juan Mann ( Ironically alias of One Man) is the founder of this group. He has been living in London when his world turned upside down and he had to come home. By the time his plane landed back in Sydney, all he had left was a carry on bag full of clothes and a world of troubles. No one to welcome him back, no place to call home. He was a tourist in my hometown.

Standing there in the arrivals terminal, watching other passengers meeting their waiting friends and family, with open arms and smiling faces, hugging and laughing together, He wanted someone out there to be waiting for him.

So he got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. He found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words "Free Hugs" on both sides.

And for 15 minutes, people just stared right through him. The first person who stopped, tapped him on the shoulder and told him how her dog had just died that morning. How that morning had been the one year anniversary of her only daughter dying in a car accident. How what she needed now, when she felt most alone in the world, was a hug. He got down on one knee, they put their arms around each other and when they parted, she was smiling.

I recently came across this spread in one of my fashion dash of magazines. Surprisingly, I found this story amazingly touching. You know how many times after a long day at work, all I need was a real warm hug? I am no doubt a hug person. Some people are very particular with kissers but I am different. Hugs are very important. It really shows how intimate the two are. It also indicate how open is this person offering and how willingly is the participient accepting. Yes, the willingness of the two. All I need now is a big, long warm, comfortable hug at this moment.