What in the heck is Neck Hugging?

For those who know me I am sure you have heard me say I wanna “hug your neck”.  I wanted to type for a second about what that means to me, especially since it has all been so loudly amplified by the COVID times restrictions on our lives.  It means WAY more to me than just the physical actual act of giving someone a neck hug, although that is an important component of it.

 Like y’all, we have not been a fan of the isolation that has accompanied COVID times – AT ALL.   We are not happy about all of the things that we had to mash the pause button on in an effort to ensure we were not contributing to spreading the virus. We both felt strongly that we have to do our part as good citizens who live in society, supporting the greater good of our country is how I think about it. 

 It does not mean we have enjoyed any part of it, we feel it is our obligation as an Americans to contribute to the solution rather than compound the problem, regardless the situation.  The Rona is no joke, it is not the flu, it is not a hoax, and there are literally centuries worth of data showing masks reduce risk of airborne virus’s – I fucking hate wearing em, unless I am sanding things in the wood shop, but it is silly to argue about their efficacy.

 Anyway, we have now recognized many of the things we simply took for granted that were very important components of our lives PC (pre-COVID).  For example, the simple act of going out to eat.  We love local places that have unique and fabulous dishes.  To spend time enjoying a meal prepared by a friend or loved one who puts their heart and soul into making it is an art form in my mind. 

 It is a blessing and I will even say a spiritual experience, I mean what truer form of love is there than creating something from ones heart that literally sustains us?  A fabulous meal is a blessing for many reasons, whether it be at someone’s home or in that small local restaurant where you know the cook. 

 Or simply enjoying live music, regardless the venue.  We have always enjoyed live concerts, mostly in the smaller more intimate settings rather than large music festivals.  Music is such a huge part of my life, I have it going all day at work, I have it on in the car and we mostly watch music videos on the boob tube, don’t google that by the way 😊. 

 For me, at its core, neck hugging is about sharing space with people I love and care about.  In the later parts of last year Bride and I started evaluating our risk profiles as it relates to the Rona.  We have many loved ones who have been in isolation as well, some alone and some with their families.  We made the decision to see if there was a safe way to connect with them in the flesh.

 That led us to allow a select few people we love into our home, friends new and old.  The simply act of enjoying a meal together, the small talk that happens around a dinner table or outside at a restaurant on the couch with paper plates eating wings is one of my favorite things and is included in my definition of neck hugging.

 To be able to sit around playing games, be that playing pool, playing Yahtzee, or Rummy or even a new game.  Over Christmas we learned a new game from a dear friend called five crowns, which is sort of rummy like but requires much more strategic thinking – we liked it.  Again, this is included in my definition of neck hugging.    

 Or just sitting around talking about meaningless things, making fun of things or providing color commentary on something or someone.  Having a cold or iced beverage and being silly with each other.  Making fun of my painted toes without ever asking why I paint them.  hahaa, the idle intimate chatter and banter is pure gold and also neck hugging.  

 The stories, old and new, that are shared, both good and bad and painful, all make up who we are.  The experiences and stories from our individual, shared, and collective journey’s through life can be so intimate and meaningful, especially when shared with ones we love.  They rest at the heart of exploring the human condition in my opinion.      

 The 4 people we had in our home late last year, each brought with them love, for themselves, for us and for life.  It seems like such a silly thing to have taken for granted pre COVID.  And maybe I didn’t and maybe the absence of it for so long amplified the importance to me.  I want to thank Jen, Kathy, Joni and Kim for bringing with them the reminder about the importance of sharing space with those we love and pushing that back to the forefront for me, isolation has warped all our brains.

 Sharing space with those we love, is simply the best part of life.  Being able to be our true selves, with all walls and facades removed.  With our flaws, the true weirdness, the foibles, the greatness and the love all exposed is my favorite part of this game called life and our journey through it.

 So, if you hear me use the term Id like to hug your neck or I need some neck hugging now you will understand that for me it means so much more than the physical act, although I LOVE that part as well.