Hug it Out

Victoria Principal.

When I was, oh goodness, Fourteen maybe (?) I saw my first Lifetime Original Movie with Vickie. I'm not sure of the premise but I'm pretty sure someone either had cancer, was raped, had an affair, died and/or was divorced, was adopted, lied to, and had a long history of drug addition, alcoholism and was recently diagnosed with Schizophrenia.

In this particular made-for-TV masterpiece, there was a scene in which Vickie and her love interest (a Patrick Duffy look alike) were cuddling. It was the middle of the afternoon and they were laying on a bed, fully clothed. The windows were open and white curtains were gently blowing into the room as the lovers, legs intertwined and clad in acid-washed jeans and white t-shirts, discussed their love for one another despite the cancer, rape, affair, death and/or divorce, adoption, lying, history of drug addition, alcoholism and recent diagnosis of Schizophrenia. I remember watching this scene and thinking how intimate this seemed. It was even more intimate than the scrambled porn my TV picked up on occasion.

I currently live in a country where public displays of affection are rare, where hugging and hand-holding between the sexes is taboo, and where the notion of cuddling seems like the freakiest, hardcore pornographic act imaginable and I can't help but crave it.

We all do.

Recently I saw this video from Keith Olbermann who spoke out so eloquently against the hateful Prop 8. He said something in the video that really resonated with me:

"In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option. They don't want to deny you yours, they don't want to take anything away from you. They want what you want: a chance to be a little less alone in the world."

I think that's why cuddling seems so incredibly intimate. Because when you embrace you confess that loneliness to someone, and in doing so you feel less alone. There's comfort in that, there's peace in that - I think that's why cuddling is so conducive to sleep.



The world is a desperate, lonely place and its inhabitants are hungry for connection, for touch. So if you can, today, cuddle. Make the world a better place, one hug at a time.

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For more information on the cuddle:

Cuddle Parties
For $30.00, people can attend a party to get touched. This video pretty much sums what you'll experience at one of these events, and Joel Stein pretty much sums up my thoughts this New Age-y rub down pow-wow.

The Cuddle Sutra
I stumbled upon this book on the art of the cuddle. Looks totally cute, and would make a great stocking stuffer. I think Sutra #3 seemed especially adorable.

Getting Intimate:How To Cuddle
Diversify your vertical cuddle:





Getting Intimate:How To Avoid Trapped Arm Whilst Cuddling In Bed
And this video on the pitfalls of the horizontal cuddle:




Go forth and get your cuddle on.