A video and a song, together, really knocked me for a loop earlier today. I’ve been reflecting on exactly why all day.
I believe there were four levels of impact, each one going deeper than the one before…
I was moved first of all by the reminder that touching and being touched is one of the most basic and fundamental of our human needs. That right there is powerful.
But in this time of COVID-19, when for five full months we’ve had to maintain physical distance, witnessing all those hugs generated a visceral response within me. Something was triggered and I feel like I had an internal meltdown of sorts.
Then there’s the song (video is below). For me, these three lines seem to capture its essential message:
Everyone is hurting
Everyone is searching
Everyone is looking for the truth about love
But what really rocked my world as I watched the video was this young woman’s level of trust. To stand there, blindfolded, with her arms open…ready to receive and to give. I just can’t even begin to imagine being that trusting, that open. But it touched me so deeply that I was literally weeping by the end.
I just discovered from reading the video comments that her sign says:
Free hugs
I trust you
You can trust me
“You might think, it’s just a simple hug
but in reality it is more than it appears.
It’s the purest gift that we can offer to each other,
a moment of connection, of affection, a moment of bliss.
Body against body,
no words are necessary,
connecting to our heartbeats,
we are surrendering to the magic.
A pure moment of love,
when this time becomes enough.
Who’s giving? Who’s receiving? Yes it is quite confusing.
But it doesn’t really matter.
What truly matters is that we are opening our hearts
and from being apart we suddenly become one.”
— From Laure Kypriotis