FREE HUGS!!!!
Tonight I took part in a Free Hugs event in Ottawa and it was one of the most uplifting things I have ever done in my life!!!
Check out this video, to see what Free Hugs is about.
A group of at least a dozen people--all of us from couchsurfing.com--gathered on the corner of Sparks St. and Elgin, held up signs that read FREE HUGS and offered just that, to anyone and everyone. We gave hugs to everyone from government people in their suits, to tiny kidlets, to teenagers with more piercings than you could count, to out-of-towners (who will undoubtedly go home with a very different image of Ottawa than what most people have), and to curious passers-by from every which direction.
There was something so incredibly basic and pure about the way we offered total strangers hugs with no strings attached. It was fabulous! It is unbelievable, though, how people are so stuck with the idea that "nothing is free". We were asked all kinds of questions:
- What are you selling?
- What organization are you working for?
- What cult are you apart of?
- Why? Why? WHY????
It is almost incomprehensible that people would take time out of their days to smile at and hug total strangers for the sheer reason of doing it because we want to make people smile. We aren't looking for donations or to sell something. Nor are we trying to lure you into some kind of Jesus-loving or -hating group. We simply wanted to bring an extra smile and bit of comfort to the lives of some fellow humans.
I have several bothersome worries hanging around in my brain these days like flies caught in a hanging web. But taking part in Free Hugs really gave me a chance to let go of the worries in exchange for some feel-good fun, even if just for a little while.
Psssst! You can also check this website out: Free Hugs Campaign
Check out this video, to see what Free Hugs is about.
A group of at least a dozen people--all of us from couchsurfing.com--gathered on the corner of Sparks St. and Elgin, held up signs that read FREE HUGS and offered just that, to anyone and everyone. We gave hugs to everyone from government people in their suits, to tiny kidlets, to teenagers with more piercings than you could count, to out-of-towners (who will undoubtedly go home with a very different image of Ottawa than what most people have), and to curious passers-by from every which direction.
There was something so incredibly basic and pure about the way we offered total strangers hugs with no strings attached. It was fabulous! It is unbelievable, though, how people are so stuck with the idea that "nothing is free". We were asked all kinds of questions:
- What are you selling?
- What organization are you working for?
- What cult are you apart of?
- Why? Why? WHY????
It is almost incomprehensible that people would take time out of their days to smile at and hug total strangers for the sheer reason of doing it because we want to make people smile. We aren't looking for donations or to sell something. Nor are we trying to lure you into some kind of Jesus-loving or -hating group. We simply wanted to bring an extra smile and bit of comfort to the lives of some fellow humans.
I have several bothersome worries hanging around in my brain these days like flies caught in a hanging web. But taking part in Free Hugs really gave me a chance to let go of the worries in exchange for some feel-good fun, even if just for a little while.
Psssst! You can also check this website out: Free Hugs Campaign
posted by Erin Kuhns at
11:52 PM
1 Comments:
Erin. That's great. Earlier this year, in the spring, a young woman sat on the corner of our busiest intersection in Nelson and held up her Free Hugs sign. At first i was thinking 'What the?' Walked by and we hugged and that was it. Put a smile on my face.
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