It was the day I finally get to spend time with two of my awesome friends. It is our small reunion after some years parting as one of my friends is studying abroad. When we were texting each other figuring out the details of our reunion, my friend told me that she wants to try something out during our meet up. SHE WANTS TO DO A #HUG US CAMPAIGN. I did not really think much about her plan, as I was more excited about meeting them.
Then during our meeting, my friend talked to us about her "PLAN". She said that she has been feeling sad for past few days now as the mother of her friend has just passed away. She expressed her longingness to be there for her friend and console her. She wants her friend to know that there is someone here for her and she did not want her friend to wallow in the sadness all by her own. Deep down, she wants to give a comforting hug to her. Since she can't physically be there for her friend, she wants to give out hug to some strangers who might need a hug but could not really get it.
The idea is great and the reason behind is also totally relatable.
But then, holding a "HUG US card in the middle of a busy shopping mall is kind of out of the norm here in Malaysia. We were like, are we really going to do something like that. What if people laugh at us, what if we got into some serious trouble. We shopped for the card and markers, sat down and prepare the card while discussing on all the "what ifs".
The card was prepared but our heart was not. We were scared of how it will be perceived by the "shopping mall" society. We were scared of thousand and one things.
But funnily, despite all the worries, we also want to do it. So we told each other, let us just do it for 10 minutes, if it does not work, we will throw away the card and walk out the mall. At least we tried.
We walked to one of the busy sections of the mall and stood there holding the card.
One, two, three...nothing is happening. People are giving some weird looks. Oh God, why am I here doing this? This is totally absurd.
four, five..."Can I hug you?"
All three of us were stunned by that four magical word..."Can I hug you?". There, in front of us, a lady asked us by pointing at the card...the card said #Hug Us.
Just as if we were snapped out to reality, all three of us rejoiced in happiness and gave her a warm hug while thanking us for supporting us. We chatted for a few minutes and told her about the friends' mother. She prayed the best for her and wish us all the best. Right then, everything does not seem very odd anymore.
After her many others came. Women from different ethnicities, nationalities and age group embraced us into the warm and loving hug.
Years later, it is amazing that I can actually recall their positive words and lovely smiles. People who did not hug us but instead gave us encouraging smiles and also those who stared at us with puzzled expressions. Probably it was weird for them. Truth to be told, it was weird for us too.
Men were also very supportive. I still remember how a couple stopped in front of us and the husband gestured the wife to hug us. A tourist guy came to us and told us he did not expect to come upon something like this here in Malaysia and how lovely Malaysians are. See, positive promotions for the country.
Sadly, not even 30 minutes later, we were kicked out by the guard. They told us to get out of the premise or they will call the police. Being an abiding citizen, we walked out proud and happy. We aimed to spread peace and positivity not to create chaos and besides, we are not really into the mood to get into trouble.
I realized something through this not even 30 minutes event. Sometimes, all that is needed is just a simple hug to share positivity in the world. A simple hug to tell someone, you are not fighting this battle alone. A simple hug to celebrate a moment. A simple hug to cherish a memory. And just a simple hug to share someones' pain.
Need a hug. #HUG US.....
Ps: Ladies only.