One Finger Touch Hug

Amy and I met at camp.
Hugs are a common greeting at camp.
For years, Amy and I hugged whenever our paths crossed.
Then I learned that Amy really doesn’t like hugs.
She was just being kind—to me and everyone else in the world.
So I stopped hugging Amy.
But one day I needed a hug.
Amy knew it.
Amy said, “Do you need a hug?”
Pitifully, I said, “Yes.”
So Amy reached out her pointer finger and touched me on the top of my arm.
It was an ET phone home gesture.
My pointer finger just wasn’t ready to connect on the other end.
“There,” she said smiling.
I needed a hug so badly in that moment, that I actually felt the little touch expand over my body.
Then I laughed.
A pointer finger touch hug—
That is classic Amy.

Amy is partially deaf.
I talk about Amy whenever I teach about Beethoven.
Beethoven slowly lost his hearing until he was completely deaf.
I know that I talk about Amy whenever I talk about Beethoven.
It is a natural connection that allows me to intelligently talk about how Beethoven could read lips.

This morning, as I was greeting students in the hallway, I saw a 5th grade boy try to hug a 5th grade girl.
It was a very innocent hug—one of those, “I haven’t seen you in awhile and it’s good to see you” hugs—but the girl was having nothing of it.
As she stood there with her arm outstretched, I heard her say my name.
I thought she said that she was giving a Ms. Deaton hug and I thought that she had confused me with another teacher who prefers to give high-fives.
But then I realized what she was actually saying and doing:
“I’m giving one of Ms. Deaton’s friend’s hugs.”
And she was.
She was giving an Amy pointer finger touch hug!!!!!

I have NO IDEA when I told my students about Amy’s hug!
I have no idea WHY I told my students about Amy’s hug!
Did I tell a class? Were we talking about ways we can share peace?
Did I tell a small group of students? Were we talking about boundaries?
Did I just tell her? Did something she said spark a memory?
I really don’t know!
But I know that she remembered my words.
And I know the whole thing makes me smile.

God: Thank for friends and for laughter. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my life and stories with my students. Help them always to remember the positive—to latch on to the good—and to spread love and peace in this world…even if it’s one pointer finger hug at a time. Amen.