Like Bees and Dogs, Huggers Can Smell Fear

They say bees and dogs can smell fear. Whether or not that's true, I don't know. I do know that huggers can smell fear. The fear of non huggers. 

With Valentine's Day being last week, you might expect to see my hug count sky rocket. It didn't. No one got hugs for Valentine's Day. 

However, I did meet Fred's (his name is really Fred, no need for privacy here) family for the first time over the weekend, and that did require some hugging. One at the beginning of Saturday evening and one at the end. Both your typical hug. One may have involved a back pat because nervousness took over. I can't recall. I should have written it down. Talk about an awkward time that would have been.

What happened the next day is what makes me 100% certain huggers can smell fear. Fred's sister-in-law gave him a giant bear hug, then looked at me and smiled and said, "yes, you're getting one too." It's like she knew that although I was smiling on the outside, I was cowering in fear on the inside. She had no idea I wasn't a hugger. She had no preemptive warning. She could smell the hugging fear, and she was not going to let me get away. Turns out, the hug was fine. It was a side hug. Those are always easier. It's like you don't truly have to commit to the hug. You're still free to duck out if need be.

Day 17 of Month 2 (day 48 in total), and I'm at 18 hugs.