We often take the simple gestures of love like a hug from a friend, a quick squeeze from a parent, or a warm embrace from a partner for granted. In the rush of everyday life, these moments pass us by. But every now and then, life reminds us that these seemingly ordinary acts carry a depth we might only understand when it’s too late.
This truth hit hundreds of people hard after a heartfelt post by Delhi-based Prathap Suthan went viral on LinkedIn. In a deeply personal note, he reflected on the last hug he ever shared with his wife – a moment that seemed ordinary back then, but has now become one of the most powerful memories he holds.
“I remember the last hug my wife gave me. It was that morning, just before we left for the hospital. For me, it was another morning hug. I wanted her to feel my love, my warmth, my hope. I also wanted her to know we would come back home together,” he wrote.
But what he didn’t realise at the time was that his wife knew. She understood something he didn’t.
“It was the quiet, moist hug of someone who knew she wasn’t coming back. The deep embrace of someone saying goodbye, not for a while, but forever. That is a hug no one prepares you for.”
Prathap, who is the Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer at an advertising agency, didn’t just write about his personal loss. He went on to capture what hugs truly mean, the emotions they carry, and the stories they silently tell.
“Not every hug is the same. They come loaded with their own stories, layers, and unique emotions. An ageing father pulls his children close before they leave, trying to hold back the years. A mother at the station presses her child to her chest before they depart for war, her hands attempting to hold back the future. Two lovers reunite after too long, their bodies finishing what words cannot. Someone rescued from building debris collapses into the arms of the one who waited,” he explained.
In a world where we often retreat behind screens and avoid real connection, his words struck a chord.
“We live in a world that rushes past touch. Hiding behind screens, avoiding closeness. But we are made to hold and be held, to carry and to be carried. I know we have to deal with shallow and hollow hugs at times. But if you’re lucky enough to hold someone today, hold them like you understand what it means,” he further added.
Have a look at his full post here.
At a time when so many of us are rediscovering what really matters – family, presence, love, and emotional safety – this reminder to hug a little longer and love a little deeper couldn’t be more timely.