Hugs, I miss you

I miss hugs.

The whole feeling of meeting someone after a long time or maybe even the first time and putting your hands around their neck and embracing them in a tight hug because you are so happy to see them.

It has been long.

When I came back home in October last year from Delhi, I did not hug my mom the way I would usually. You see, I had taken a flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad, had potentially exposed myself to virus and I did not want to touch anyone or anything before I take a bath and clean up.

It was late when I reached home. So after cleaning myself, we forgot to hug because we got talking.

Later, every time I would meet my friends, family, we would make sure not to sit it close proximity.

When things appeared to get better sometime earlier this year before we were hit by the second wave, the whole ‘social distancing’ had become like a second nature to us that the idea of hugging someone you love would not even cross one’s mind.

When I tested positive for COVID, I cried sitting on the stairs while my mum stood looking helpless. It was one of those rare times I did not have someone to comfort me when I was crying. I was crying because I was afraid I have exposed my parents to virus. And I could not be anywhere close to them.

It has been a long time since I hugged someone and cried tears of joy, happiness, sadness. I have not hugged someone with infectious excitement that could keep me going fighting my demons for a few days.

When was the last time you hugged someone?

At this point in time, I just want to hug someone and cry. Not because I am sad or anything. I just want to hold on to someone and cry and be comforted that things will be alright.

That hugging will again become the new normal.