Do you hug your friends?

Philippines
October 29, 2012 7:53am CST
If you're a male, do you hug your female friends? If you're a female, do you hug your male friends? Right now, I am active in a Catholic community wherein hugging is very normal. I hug some female friends whom I know are comfortable in hugging, most of them are members of that Catholic community. And in our sessions, we have what we called hugging session. This is the time wherein you have the freedom to hug the person or persons near you. And there were times wherein I hug a complete stranger. When I was still a new member of this community, I am quite uncomfortable with hugging and I can't deny that before, I felt some malice when hugging a girl. But right now that I almost two years there, I don't felt any malice anymore when hugging a female friend. I hug a person as an expression of my love for the.
2 people like this
17 responses
@gary23 (425)
• India
30 Oct 12
Well hugging is an expression of showing your bond with a person. Being a girl, I don't hug boys other than my boyfriend. Because I don't like it. But if you are used to it, its ok.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Yes. If you are not comfortable in hugging people other than your boyfriend, then don't hug. Because there were people who take advantage when they notice that you hug your friends. When they notice that, they will attempt to hug you. It's okay if they don't feel malice about it. But if they do, then that is not good. And I think that when you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, hugging is a necessity. Even kisses is needed. Hugs and kisses really helps a lot in strengthening the relationship. But more than that is a little bit different story.
• India
30 Oct 12
I am a male and I hug my male relatives, friends etc without any hesitation. But I don't hug my female friends or relatives in any situation. For me hugging is a good way of showing sympathy and love towards the other person. It helps us to show that I also felt for him. In case of a good news it shows him that we are happy for him and in case of any sad news it shows that we are always going to be here for him. My son likes to hug me and show me his love towards me very often.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Hugging your family members is a good way to strengthen your relationship with them. Keep that act of love.
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
30 Oct 12
Hi... Hugging is no big deal for me... I'll hug anyone I want to... I mean it is a gesture that shows that you like the other person... Very few object to it... Among boys, it is a custom to hug each other when we see each other... We hug the females too, if we want to... Thats the most important thing.. The will! The feeling that comes from inside and tells you to hug the other person.... Nothing dirty about it... And as long as its clean, no one objects.... :-)
@mr_pearl (5018)
• India
30 Oct 12
Thats right my friend... As long as there's nothing dirty about it, a hug is always a fine gesture that shows love and liking... There are instances when a man and a woman hug each other with lust in their minds... I'm not sure about them..
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Yes. It really depends on your purpose in doing a hug to someone
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Yes. And when you hug a person with lust in your heart, you just committing a sin. So if you hug a person, make sure you don't feel lust.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
30 Oct 12
I`m a hugger. But I have seen that not every person feels as comfortable with it so I believe that each of us has the right to have our own space. I don`t hug people who shrink when I get too near. A person knows. It is true that part of this is cultural.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
30 Oct 12
I have discovered that latinos (Spanish, Latin American and so on) hug more than English people in general. They also can be closer to one another in a queue than the other people.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Yes. I agree with you. Culture really plays an important part in this aspect. And I respect people who are not comfortable in hugging.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
1 Nov 12
I do hug my friends, even if they are males. But, I wouldn't if my husband is around. He is just not into this thing. But, I think he could be unfair with me, coz he hugs his female friends in fornt of me, too!
• Philippines
1 Nov 12
Yes. I agree with you. I haven't had any girlfriend before. But I don't hug my friends who are with their boyfriends. haha. Although there were times that I do hug my female friends even if they are with their boyfriends. And that happened because I do not know that they are with their boyfriends. It's good thing that their friends don't get mad at me when I do that. Anyway how do you feel when your husband hug his female friends?
@Sindelle (824)
• United States
30 Oct 12
I grew up in a Catholic community as well and hugging was not common. If I went somewhere and they had something called a hugging session I'd run like the wind. I do not like being touched by random people even if I like them. The only time I will hug someone I am not in a relationship with is if I'm VERY close to them and they're either leaving for a long time or coming back from a long trip.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Thank you very much sindelle. I pray that you become closer to God and to the people around you especially to your family. God bless
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
But are you active in a certain Catholic organization or community? I think having a spiritual community or organization can help a lot in strengthening and growing your relationship with God. I am also uncomfortable in hugging people especially with a stranger. But now I'm comfortable with it. And I respect people who aren't comfortable in this kind of act. I hug people not out of lust but out of love. Because when I feel lust inside my heart, I don't hug people.
@Sindelle (824)
• United States
30 Oct 12
Growing up my family was very active in the Catholic church. I'm not as much now a days. I realize you don't do it out of lust but I guess its just something I've never heard of. If it is something that makes you and your friends comfortable and is an effective way for you to express your love then more power to ya.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
1 Nov 12
I do hug my male friends and there is nothing wrong with it- it's a friendship hug, like hugging a brother. Anyway, it depends on how close you are with your friends. I just don't hug friends whom I am not close with- I only hug those ones whom I feel comfortable and known for long years already.
• Philippines
1 Nov 12
Yes. You have a point there. We are not hesitant to hug our close friends because we know them very well and we are comfortable being with them. And we also know that they have no malice in doing that.
@codris (781)
• Italy
29 Oct 12
I'm a male and sometimes i hug my female friends if it's a lot of time that i don't see them. usually when i meet a female friend we kiss each other on cheeks. i've a lot of female friends and a lot of cute female friends so it's a pleasure to kiss them. this is normal in my country.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
So in Italy, hugging and kissing on the cheeks is a normal act? Thank you for sharing. I know there are a lot of female Italians who are beautiful.
@obe212003 (2299)
• Philippines
29 Oct 12
Hugging is an intimate expression of appreciation, an assurance, a sincere touch of showing affection be it to a friend or a family or as in your case your church community. I hug my friends, male or female, usually an embrace with a gentle soft tap on the back.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
I agree with what you say. And hugging is also a big help especially when you have a big problem and someone hugs you. You feel better after that. I have experience this. I have a problem and when people hugged me, I feel so much better
@surekharathi (14146)
• India
29 Oct 12
No never if I am a female I never hug to any male even they are our family members or friends. In childhood some time we hug to our brother and father but after completing one age I cant hug with them. I think the star can hug with anybody like young age girl hug to old age person.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Thanks for sharing. I think in some cultures or organizations, hugging or kissing in the cheeks is their way of greeting. Just like in our Catholic community or just like in show business
• Bangladesh
29 Oct 12
In our muslim culture, hugging or embracing between male and females is strictly forbidden. In our religious functions a female having worn a fair cover dress being in a seperate place being surrounded by a fence, will listen the sermons of the speakers. We strickly follow curtain cultures of Islam.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Thanks for sharing. Perhaps culture or religion really plays a vital part in this aspect
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
29 Oct 12
We here in Mexico, hug and kiss alot our family and friends. Some countries do handshakes. We hug and kiss.
• Philippines
29 Oct 12
I will go there in Mexico one day.. haha.. I just love hugging my friends or even kissing them on the cheeks. In our Catholic community, we also hug and kiss. It's our form of greeting. We hug or kiss when we see each other or when we have to part ways.
• Qatar
29 Oct 12
I won't hesitate hugging my male friends if I have to. After all it is just an expression that you care.
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
Yes. Hugging is an expression that you care for a person and you love them. Thanks for sharing
29 Oct 12
Never had experienced hugging a friends, female or male not even once. I just had to hug the woman in my life. Maybe in your situation its a kind of greeting and so I guess theres nothing wrong with that. Happy mylotting!
• Philippines
29 Oct 12
Yes. Hugging is a form of hugging in our Catholic community. And I find no wrong in doing that. And also, they said that hugging is also good for health.. haha. It brings you more confidence
@ellyse2003 (1463)
• Philippines
30 Oct 12
I came from a University where there are a lot of foreigners. I studied there for four year, at first I was a little annoyed when a guy friend of mine hugs me and girls kisses me. There are other people, with different cultures but if they are your friends you have to know their culture, you have to know how they greet other people. I do hug my friends, hold their hand when I see them. But after getting married, since my husbands culture is different from what I learned from that school, I have to follow my husband.
@sajujohn (1005)
• India
29 Oct 12
I think hugging ones boyfriends, girlfriends are different from that of hugging your lover. I too don't have any problem in hugging my girlfriends(girlfriends in the sense that my friends who are male) but the fact is that till now I have never hugged my girl friends. As you said well at the beginning one may feel discomfort and gradually that will fade away. Well I hug my friends who are very close to me and I also hug when I am meeting them after a long time.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
29 Oct 12
I only hug someone (no matter if they are male or female) if I like to. No matter if they are sad, familiar, good friends or not.
• Philippines
29 Oct 12
Very well said. thanks for sharing