Hugs, Hugging

	Welcome! Come in! Looks as though you've had a rough day. Feeling a tad blue, lonely? Then you've come to the right place. Relax and let the following HUGS soothe away your tiredness and bring back your smile.
	The Best! In the many years I have been on the internet, I have met numerous people. These are some of the finest people you'll ever want to meet. They have been so helpful, very caring, and more than generous. If you are one of the ones who has made me laugh, dried my tears, solved my techno problems, shared a file or listened to my woes, accept this page (with warm HUGS) as my token of friendship and appreciation. You are the best! Char
	*HUGS* There's something in a simple hug That always warms the heart; It welcomes us back home And makes it easier to part. A hug's a way to share the joy And sad times we go through, Or just a way for friends to say They like you 'cause you're you. Hugs are meant for anyone For whom we really care, From your grandma to your neighbour, Or a cuddly teddy bear. A hug is an amazing thing - It's just the perfect way To show the love we're feeling But can't find the words to say. It's funny how a little hug Makes everyone feel good; In every place and language, It's always understood. And hugs don't need new equipment, Special batteries or parts - Just open up your arms And open up your hearts. Jill Wolf
	Guidelines for Hugging Be compassionate, not passionate -- communicate comfort and caring. Ask for permission -- hugging requires a sender and receiver. Accepting that hugging isn't for everyone is simply another form of understanding and acceptance. Ask permission when you need a hug. Hugging for wellness is a practice of sharing -- if you need a hug simply ask for one. And if you receive a hug, let the sender know you are appreciative. Take responsibility for expressing what you need.
	HUGGING It's wondrous what a hug can do. A hug can cheer you when you're blue A hug can say, "I love you so," Or, "I hate to see you go." A hug is "Welcome back again." And "Great to see you! Where 'er you been?" A hug can soothe a small child's pain And bring a rainbow after rain. The hug, there's just no doubt about it -- We scarcely could survive without it! A hug delights and warms and charms; It must be why God gave us arms Hugs are great for fathers and mothers, Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers; And chances are your favorite aunts love them more than potted plants. Kittens crave them, puppies love them, Heads of states are not above them. A hug can break the language barrier And make your travel so much merrier. No need to fret about your store of 'em; The more you give, the more there are of 'em. So stretch those arms without delay And give someone a hug today! - Dean Walley, (the Messenger)
	Hugging is good medicine. It transfers energy, and gives the person hugged an emotional boost. You need four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, and twelve for growth. A hug makes you feel good. The skin is the largest organ we have and it needs a great deal of care. A hug can cover a lot of skin and gives the message that you care. It is also a form of communication. It can say things you don't have words for. The nicest thing about a hug is that you usually can't give one without getting one. Author Unknown I will not play Tug O' War, I'd rather play Hug O' War; Where everyone hugs, instead of tugs, And everyone giggles and rolls on the rug. Where everyone kisses, and everyone grins; everyone cuddles, and everyone wins. ~Shel Silverstein
	"Hugging is healthy: it helps the body's immunity system, it keeps you healthier, it cures depression, it reduces stress, it induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant side effects, and hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug. Hugging is all natural: it is organic, naturally sweet, it has no pesticides, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and is 100% wholesome. Hugging is practically perfect: there are no movable parts, no batteries to replace, no periodic check-ups, has low energy consumption, high energy yield, is inflation-proof, non-fattening, has no monthly payments, no insurance requirements, is theft-proof, non-taxable, non-polluting, and is, of course, fully refundable." -- Sharon Lindsey --
	A DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION FOR HUGGING: by Mark Katz, M.D., Member of L.A. Shanti's Advisory Board "How important are hugging and physical and emotional contact for people affected by life - threatening illnesses? In my work, I have found that people who receive nurturing maintain a better outlook on their situation -- and historically, positive attitude is an important factor in long-term survival. Hugging and physical contact make a difference in a person's frame of mind, and may help their medical condition. Best of all, hugging has no side effects and does not require a trip to the doctor. "I recommend at least one hug a day. Hugs are not only nice they are needed... Hugs can relieve pain and depression.. make the healthier happier, and the most secure even more so.. Hugging feels good and overcomes fear... It provides stretching exercise to short people and stooping exercise to tall people... Hugging does not upset the environment.. It saves heat and energy... requires no special equipment.. Hugging makes happy days happier and impossible days possible. Author Unknown According to Kathleen Keating, R.A., M.N., author of The Hug Therapy Book, hugs take many forms depending on what you want to communicate. A few examples include: The Bear Hug--ideal for two individuals of disproportionate sizes and for saying, "You're terrific," or "You can count on me". The A-Frame--Brief embrace ideal for little-known relatives and situations requiring a bit of formality. All of the hugging takes place above the neck. This hug communicates polite caring or detached warmth. Great for new huggers. The Cheek Hug--A tender hug that can be executed sitting or standing. This hug says "I'm sorry you're disappointed," or is ideal to share joy or greet an elderly relative. The Group Hug--Great for good friends sharing an activity or project. Group hugs communicate support, security, affection, unity and universal belonging. Rescuing Hug This is a picture from an article called, "The Rescuing Hug." The article details the first week of life of a set of twins. Apparently, each were in their respective incubators, and one was not expected to live. A hospital nurse fought against the hospital rules and placed the babies in one incubator. When they were placed together, the healthier of the two threw an arm over her sister in an endearing embrace. The smaller baby's heart rate stabilized and her temperature rose to normal. They both survived, and are thriving! In fact, now that the two girls are home, they still sleep together, and still snuggle. The hospital changed their policy after they saw the effect of putting the two girls together, and now they bed multiples together. Ensign magazine May '98 pg. 94 Adapted from the Readers Digest article "A Sister's Helping Hand" May 1996 Pp. 155-56

	A HUG No moving parts, no batteries. No monthly payments and no fees; Inflation proof, non-taxable, In fact, it's quite relaxable; It can't be be stolen, won't pollute, One size fits all, do not dilute. It uses little energy, But yields results enormously, Relieves your tension and your stress, Invigorates your happiness; Combats depression, makes you beam, And elevates your self esteem! Your circulation it corrects Without unpleasant side effects It is, I think, the perfect drug: May I prescribe, my friend,....the hug! (and of course fully returnable!) author unknown A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away. ~Bil Keane (Family Circus) Everybody needs a hug. It changes your metabolism. ~Leo Buscaglia You can't wrap love in a box, but you can wrap a person in a hug. ~Unknown A hug is a handshake from the heart. ~Unknown Hugs grease the wheels of the world. ~Unknown Oh, I love hugging. I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug 10 people at a time! ~Drew Barrymore A Hug Is Two Hearts Wrapped In Arms ~Unknown

HUGTOONS
Cartoon - Mother holding child. Caption, This is my favorite place, inside your hug.

Cartoon - A man asleep on sofa, small child brings him his teddy bear.

Cartoon - Snoopy snuggling with a bunny on top of his doghouse.

Cartoon - Garfield asleep with teddy bear, dreaming the teddy bear is big and holding him.

Cartoon- Garfield *squeezing* a teddy bear. John says, you never hug me like that. Garfield replies, With all due respect, you're no teddy bear.

Cartoon - Garfield hugging a teddy bear. Caption: Able to stave off loneliness in a single hug. You don't need big muscles to be a superhero.

Cartoon - John frowning, Garfield gives him his teddy bear and after a good hug they all end up with smiles.

Thanks for visiting, but before you go...
out-stretched arm HUG

Let us not forget to embrace those whom we love.

Beauty for Ashes