I ran into a former colleague, now retired, at Target on Black Friday. She wasn't someone I'd been close to when we worked together, but she gave me a hug, nevertheless.
I wasn't surprised, and gladly returned the hug. You see lately, we've both been receiving the same emails regarding a dear friend who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Our friend is fighting it, this awful disease, but the fact remains, it's the kind of cancer that raises all sorts of red flags, including the colors of our own mortality.
After she hugged me, my retired friend told me that she's decided that she should hug as often as possible - or words to that effect that I wish I could remember exactly. The fact is, the look in her eyes said even more than the hug did.
Not everyone is a hugger, but we all have our own ways of reaching out to others. During this holiday season, please don't hold back. Hug. Call. Write. Email. Tweet. Post. Extend yourself. What takes you five minutes may stay with someone else much longer. My friend with cancer says the mail is the best part of her day - the part that makes her smile.
So, why wait? And in return, I wish you many greetings this season.
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