A hug follows a pattern — a reaching out, an opening up, a squeeze, a pause, a stepping back, a locking of eyes. The speed of each step is as significant as the step itself and shapes the impact of the embrace.
The faster the reaching out and opening up, the more instinctive the gesture — a raw, unguarded move toward connection. It signals a heart running ahead of caution, a spirit eager to bridge distance. The soul recognizes something familiar and moves without hesitation.
Then comes the squeeze, the pause, the stepping back, and the final locking of eyes — and here, slowness becomes depth. A slow squeeze speaks volumes: I’m with you. You matter. The pause is presence itself. The reluctant stepping back tells of something cherished. And the eyes, when they finally meet, hold the residue of everything the arms tried to say.
The inverse is also true. A hesitant reach, a hurried squeeze, a quick disengagement — these, too, are messages.
Then there are people who would never share one with each other.
Everything about a hug speaks and is maybe more honest than any other form of greeting.
— Osasu Oviawe