Everyone Can Use a Hug!

3/12/21 3:57 PM

While I was perusing my LinkedIn page, I came across a nine second video that had a very powerful message.

The video showed what looked to be a kindergarten/ 1st grade kid playing an organized soccer game. As the players are chasing the ball on the field, this young boy sees his younger brother standing by the sidelines, so in the middle of chasing the ball, he stops to give his brother a hug.

Seeing this video brought me back to my days as an AYSO soccer coach. I remember the day I got a call from my buddy who was responsible for organizing the soccer leagues in our village. He told me he thought I would make a great soccer coach. I told him that he must have made a mistake, because I had never played the game and didn’t know a thing about it.

He responded, “Mike, great news! None of the kids you’ll be coaching know anything about the game either, because they are in kindergarten. We need coaches and you are going to be one of them.” And thus my 19 year career as a soccer coach began.

Watching this video reminded me of the joy and exuberance that the kids I coached had for playing the game. Truth be told, it wasn’t so much about the score as it was trying to teach some basic skills and making sure the kids had a great time. I was also reminded of those moments, similar to the ones in the video, where a kid would suddenly do something that made you wonder: “What the heck was that all about?”

But the important thing was that the kids had fun and continued to sign up for soccer in the succeeding years.

I share this with you because according to the experts, one of the consequences of the pandemic is the impact that social distancing is having on friendships and relationships. For example, this week I was on a conference call where I learned that when we return to having in person events, we may be required to wear different color wristbands which will signal the level of social interaction we want to have with others.

If you are wearing one color wristband it will mean that you will only interact with others who stay 6 feet apart and are wearing face masks. A different color will mean that you are okay with a fist or elbow bump but you still will require 6 feet of distance between others. And then there will be another wristband which will let people know that you’re comfortable shaking hands or—brace yourself, because this is where it gets scary—perhaps give your good friends a much needed hug. 😊

In watching this video, it was refreshing to see that our little buddy didn’t see if his brother was wearing a wristband; he just gave him a hug.

A good friend of mine, Tommy Spaulding, is a gifted speaker, and an even more gifted author. Recently I read an email from him which included a great quote: “After the pandemic and social distancing is in our rearview mirror, I want to start a ‘Social Closeness’ movement – love and serve all those within six feet of us. Now that would change our organizations, communities, and the world!”

For some, the concept of “Social Closeness” may be a bit of a stretch because they view it in terms of being close to someone in a physical sense. But I have been blessed with people who have still figured out how they can be socially close and a true friend, even though they are hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from me.

For example, the late author and motivational speaker Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, was one of those friends. Charlie was famous for giving me and virtually everyone else he came in contact with, a big bear hug when he would see you. Charlie was a Champion Hugger because as he gave you this big bold hug, he would be whispering in your ear about how wonderful you were and how awesome a job God did when he created you.

Even though the times when I could be physically present with Charlie were limited, he always welcomed my phone calls. And he always would close our conversations by reminding me that he loved me and that he was, “Hugging me with my heart!” It was how Charlie demonstrated social closeness.

The message from this brief video reminded me that we too don’t need to be physically present in order to hug others with our hearts. After all, we can call someone or send them a letter or email and give them an uplifting or encouraging word. And when we are in the same area, we can offer them a smile or two and let them know that we will say a prayer on their behalf.

In the Gospel from Matthew, we are instructed to “love our neighbor as ourselves.”
As we head into the weekend, maybe Charlie’s sign off … “I’m hugging you with my heart” can help us on that journey.