"The Hugging Gene"

It is amazing how you can look at your children and see yourself at the age that they are. At least that is the way it is with me and my son Sean. He is my youngest and the one who looks like me - blondish brown hair and blue eyes. He especially looks like me around the eyes. My oldest son JJ takes after his mother's side of the family - olive complexioned, brown hair and brown eyes.

Sean also has some of the same traits I have. For one he would hug a tree. People have told me I would hug a wall so I guess that is where he gets it. If you meet Sean he is more than likely to give you a hug, and I am the same way. My wife and JJ are more reserved in that respect.

I remember when my wife and I first started dating. I would make a trip from Warner Robins, Georgia to St. Petersburg, Florida about every other week. I would spend the nights at my brother and his wife's home, but would spend the days with Terry and her family. I remember clearly one day walking towards her house when her father was coming out to greet me. I gave him a bug hug and I thought the poor man was going to die of embarrassment. That is just something he and his family did not do to persons outside their own family circle.

A few months after we had started dating I took Terry home to Clinton to meet my friends and relatives which included just about the entire town. As we got out of the car at my folks' home I could see the cars of relatives who were there to greet us. I left poor Terry standing in the yard as I rushed inside screaming, "She doesn't hug! She doesn't hug!" 

My relatives looked at me in amazement and then just laughed. They didn't believe me. They piled in mass out the door and each and every one of them swept Terry up in a bear hug. I will never forget the look of pure desperation that swept over her face. By the time the relatives left she was exhausted. They had almost hugged her to death, since they had given her hugs when they met her and hugs when they said good-bye.

With Sean, well he always greets people with a hug. I think that served him well when he was a Youth Minister and I think it helps now that he is working with special needs children. Everyone can use a hug now and then, at least that is my philosophy.

So if you see Sean or me heading your way brace yourself. Chances are you are going to get hugged. I inherited it from my Daddy and Sean inherited it from me. It is known as the "hugging gene." And the Cooper motto as to genes is "if you have it, pass it on."

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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