The Guide to Hugs from Cassidy

I had to laugh a little bit today. (Okay, so more like yesterday evening in to today.) 
What was the topic? Hugs.
As I was talking to my friend about hugs, we came to the conclusion that there are so many ways hugs can be interpreted and continued to discuss who gets what hugs at what times from us. I had to laugh at the variety and then realized how often I decide beforehand what hug I am going to give and why-- of course, I do not always articulate and walk myself through why I am choosing the particular hug but anyway. 

Simple though they may be, there is just so much meaning in a hug. I am going to be honest as usual when I write to you and say, I love hugs. But that does not mean I hug anyone and everyone. Now, those who see me daily would probably say otherwise but I really do not hug just anyone. 
And even those I do hug, there are some who receive one hug and some who receive other hugs. So. What am I going to do? I am going to describe the hugs I give and whom I give them to. I am sure in hindsight this might not be the best idea ever but I am willing to bet not everyone reads my blog. Ridiculous, I know, for who would not want to be in on this? Ah, right...

Anyway. Without further ado:

• First off--the hug that does not occur. Okay. This does not mean I do not like you. At least not all the time. Usually it means that I am simply not in the hugging mood. But there has been a time or two when I simply do not want to give the wrong message. Straight up. There are some people you simply cannot hug no matter how short because they will somehow derive hope for a deeper meaning than the simplest hug should convey. Often, I do not hug those that I have spent a fair amount of time with and still cannot get a read on where I am on their "feelings scale". It is safe to say that if I even have the faintest niggling hint that the person might like me, or could like me, and I do not want them to... I will not hug them. But, really, 7 times out of 10... I just do not want to be hugged.
• Second-- the brief hug. Usually used after meeting someone for the first time, having good conversation with them, and saying farewell. This does not happen very often unless it is after a first date. But again, it is a way of encouraging the guy to try harder the next time or just keep up the good work. The other times this hug has been in use is the moment where you must make nice even if you do not like the girl for the sake of your friend. Thankfully, my friends seem to have good taste so I have not really had to use this one. 
• Third-- the brief but tight hug.Simply used when I run into someone I care about but often literally have to keep running (or they are on the run themselves). This is also a commonly used heart-broken hug in my line of hugs. You know when you care about a person so much, and all you want is to see them happy, but then they choose someone else and the dream is gone and you must move on? But you cannot give up on the, albeit, brief hugs they bless your heart with? Yes. Those hugs.
• Fourth-- the long hug- not to be confused with the fifth, the long and tight hug. The first is usually done in either a lazy way or in a hesitant manner. I give the lazy ones to those who are huggers but not always my favorite people to hug, no offense. Or to those I hug more times than I care to count. Meh. The hesitant kind are given when I am really hurt and want to be comforted but do not want to seem a burden or want to pass it off as a smaller problem than my heart is treating it. The second of the long hugs is definitely saved for those who are most dear to me and those whom have seen me at my lowest and most depressed. Those whom know that sometimes I just need to be held. Other times I use this hug when I have not seen my friend in a ridiculously long amount of time. So, do not think every time you see me hugging someone thus that it means I am a depressed wreck. Haha!

Onto the second part and probably much shorter explanation of Cassidy Hugs. 

Levels.
Yes. That is right. Levels. And what I mean when I write that is where my arms go around the hugged. 

1. One arm up, one arm down. Some have referred to it as the "bro hug". Rightly so. I do not think I have often seen two grown men hug with one's arms on top and one's arms on the bottom unless the height difference encourages it to rid the huggers of awkwardness. Moving on. When I hug people like this... I actually feel really awkward. As if we could not make up our minds and thus gave in to this awkward placement of limbs. Not many feel this way, but I do. And that is what currently matters in this blog, right? Right.
2. Arms under. When I feel like it is a strictly familial feeling relationship between me and a guy, this is what usually happens. It also makes me feel small and sometimes a little childish. It is usually my attempt to be cute. 
3. Arms over. Well... sometimes you are taller than the guy and it would just be awkward for the opposite to happen. But mostly it is used when I feel particularly close to the guy or have feelings for the guy. Or he does not give me any other choice but to put my hands up, so to speak. Who am I to complain if the guy is giving me a hug and he may be just slightly attractive? I mean really. But all that aside, I usually see it as definitely the hug that leans more toward romance than the familial love. In the wise words of Mr. Bennet,  "Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then." I really do think all girls thrive at least a little on the dramatics of life. 

At this moment, I daresay this is all I have to say on the subject, at least as far as explaining my own embraces goes. But I must say one of my favorite ways to be hugged is when the guy picks me up and spins me around... and it does not hurt one bit when he waits to lessen his grip until I am good and ready. Sometimes you just need the extra long hug, you know? If only to reassure yourself that at least at that moment, someone cares.

But the best hugs are those from my family. Enough said.