We are all in the middle of the Olympics and many of us (myself included) seem to have abandoned our everyday responsibilities in order to absorb as much as we possibly can. I am in my element, because most of my favourite sports are minority ones: athletics, swimming, rowing, tennis.
There has already been a lot of chatter about the legacy of these games. Of course the establishment is concerned that tourism will be boosted and young people will feel more enthusiastic about taking up sport. I do have some different suggestions for our likely legacy.
First of all, hugging. I know, I did mention this when I posted about the Opening Ceremony. It’s not very British, is it? We are quite good at a firm handshake and, these days, there is the cringe-makingly uncomfortable fashion for kissing amongst female friends. One cheek or two? To mwah or not to mwah? Let’s face it, fellow British people, we are not French and we are not equipped with the social kissing gene. All opinions my own.
But hugging is a different matter. Everyone knows how to do it. Everyone likes a hug (if you don’t, I respectfully submit that you are suffering from a surfeit of stiff-upper-lippedness). Hugging is good for you. And then, wonder of wonders, we had hugging as part of the lighting of the cauldron ceremony. And now it goes on: athletes hugging each other, Sir Steve Redgrave hugging most of Team GB, even William and Kate hugging each other in their excitement at our excellence in the Velodrome.
Hugging. It’s necessary for a happy existence, and now we seem to be making it a part of normal British life. Not a moment too soon, I say. Let’s pick up the baton when the Olympics have finished, and carry on with the hugging relay, each of us trying to take it into our day. Of course, there are many, many circumstances in which hugging is inappropriate (it wouldn’t work in my other job) and we are British so we will need to tread gently, but I bet we can all find opportunities to hug our nearest and dearest, to hug a friend we are delighted to see, to hug an acquaintance having a bad day.
Now, the thing is, if I can do this, anyone can. As a student, I used to stay with a French family. My host once explained to her nieces and nephews, “English people are reserved, but Harriet is reserved even for an English person”. So, if I will commit to increasing my weekly hugging quota, will you commit too? Who can you hug today? I’d love you to share.
Great post! There is one girl I know that greets eveyone with a massive hug. People really look forward to it – I know I do.
I approach her expecting to give a hug, but would need to train myself to instinctively hug others!
Gordon
Hmmm, sounds like a goal to me!
I agree, and I’ve been working on it. I do hug that girl in particular because I know full well she accepts it as normal. With others I have gone to the ‘elbow touch’ to see what reaction it gets!
Progress!
My grandmother is a hugger, and everyone seems to simply accept it from her, even when they’re not normally huggers themselves. (My husband.) Not surprisingly, I guess, my mom was a hugger, too, and even my hubby enjoyed a hug-fest when at her home. Me, I’m a bit more reserved. Of course, I offer a hug to my granny every time I see her, and I have friends that I embrace whenever I see them, but it’s certainly not an every day thing. Not to blame, but I think I would’ve blossomed into a more full-fledged hugger had I married differently, though it’s a small trade-off in the grand scheme of things. Still, I wish both my husband and son were more touchy-feely. I guess I need to work on my own hugginess and then maybe they will follow suit.
Everyone needs a hug.i certainly do at the moment.I feel sad for those who dont alliw themselves the warmth a hug brings!