my family hugs ,,its not always taken the way we would like We win some ,some not so much I love when giant of men grab me like a kid and hug the stuffings out of me and its a Brotherly hug ,no worries about any gender BS ,just a hug . We have a way we hug that not all frontal ,misunderstood as something sexual A hug is better than medicine But I hate to hug someone that turns into a statue but I love when we win some of them over We have been called the hugging family I think it was something I started as a small child The only time I seen my family act like family was Christmas Coming and going everyone hugged that day They might act like they hated you on the 26th ,,but Christmas everyone hugged
@Reflection83 I had elders in the church go to the pastor (and in more than one church )and tell him to stop me from hugging people So he asked in a sermon how many know we are told to greet the brethren with a Holy Kiss , Many said they had never heard of it ,and he demonstrated what it was a kiss on each cheek (Jewish Custom ) he says all Brother Rick is doing is showing you Godly respect and love He has put away his own shyness and fear ,and made the first gesture of love and fellowship ,, IF you are opposed to being hugged ,,when alter call starts and the music begins ,by all means leave ,,,if all you stick around for is to shake my hand ,but you shun my Brother ,I prefer you just leave Brother there is Nothing wrong with how you hug ,,you are always reverent You never leave anyone out ,so its not like you only hugs the females many have now come to look forward to being hugged ,,,and now they hug others too ,in fact ,right now ,turn to the one beside you and hug them .. I never expected all that ,but even the ones who complained told me they were sorry ,,they knew me better and realized in a way ,that was a ministry in its own right ,breaking down walls My own Brother never hugged me until right before he killed himself I should have known something was up when he thanked me for raising him and saying he was sorry for never showing me the respect I deserved it was not fair I had to give up my childhood to be Mom and Dad But he finally got it ,,and he loved me like a Dad ,not a Brother And then he hugged the stuffing out of me ... My 1st wife has not hugged me since 1983 Last weekend she hugged me ,,,Going and coming I had to tell her what it meant to me It hurt so bad to see her hug everyone in my family ,and not me God is good ,,I never thought I would live to see the day