Lately, I have noticed in us, a lack of concern for our fellow folk. We shrug our shoulders while assuming that nobody cares about the way things are.

I call it the universal shrug. When there is a plethora of apathy, people need to reach into their hearts and give of themselves. Otherwise, their emotions break out in meteor showers spraying negative energy all over the galaxy.

My idea is, that instead of the universal shrug, we need to give an existential hug. It feels a whole lot better and encourages us to exude positive emotions again.

Those who find multiple ways of embracing each other, live longer and give in more positive ways. Not getting hung up with the socio-political mumbo jumbo, allows us to breathe easier and more fully. Hugs give us the creative stamina, to face reality head-on.

I had the chance to give of myself during the recent holiday season. My best friend, David needed a temporary place to call home.  

I stepped up and gave of myself so that he could have a home and I benefitted at the same time by asking him to help take care of me while I recovered from neck surgery.

I had a live-in caregiver and he had a home. In the process, we shared Christmas and Boxing Day. We stayed up late and talked about the good old days when peace and love were in fashion.

Although we grew up in different areas of California, we both loved having the freedom to walk on the seashore with our bare feet feeling the sand and cool water between our toes.

We are both happy we grew up in the 60s and 70s.

One thing about that era that I appreciated was the multitude of Medical Free Clinics, they had many volunteer doctors and psychiatrists who gave their valuable time to help those of us who couldn’t otherwise afford their services.

Now, many of us do not receive the help we need. Sometimes, we are left out in the cold, literally. Other times, we get brushed off, and leave feeling misunderstood, helpless, and hopeless.

The universal shrug rears its ugly head too often in today’s society. People say, “It is what it is” as if that justifies the ill treatment of others.

Please remember to be kind to people from all walks of life. Whether we are rich or poor or the shriveling middle class, we deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Being proactive is a better solution. Let’s resolve to solve our multitude of problems with caring hugs instead of shrugs.