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Gil Mildar
As the song says, a Latin American with no money in his pocket.

321 Days Without Hugs

A hug doesn’t have a defined starting point on the timeline. It wasn’t born on a marked day, invented, or recorded as a discovery. It simply emerged as a natural response to what has always been missing within us: the need to merge with the other, to feel that there is someone there, so close that it becomes impossible to tell where one body ends and the other begins.

The hug is the silent antidote to distance. It requires no ceremonies and no complicated words. It is that gesture that surfaces in moments of pure truth: in the despair of a loss, in the euphoria of a reunion, in the relief of knowing that, at least here, someone understands us without any explanation. It is universal and, at the same time, personal. In different cultures, with varying intensities and contexts, the hug always returns to the same point: the comfort of feeling that we are not alone.

From a human perspective, it is a biological response so strong that it is a chemical need. When we embrace, the body releases oxytocin, which cradles calm and dissolves fear. That’s why, amidst the rush and chaos of the world, we still seek the hug as someone seeks refuge, a pause in the storm. No matter how much we try to distance ourselves, shield ourselves emotionally, or isolate ourselves, there comes a point when the body craves the warmth of another body, like a basic need as vital as breathing.

To hug is to trust. Even if it’s only for a few seconds, it allows one to lower the guard and expose oneself to the risk of being hurt or losing oneself in closeness. There is no room for mistrust in a sincere hug. It is tearing down barriers and saying with the body what the mouth cannot: “I am here.” This gesture carries an ancient and simple power, yet one that the modern world insists on forgetting amid relationships mediated by screens, where touch has become a rare luxury, almost a relic.

At its core, the hug is the remnant of what makes us human. It is the acknowledgment that, despite all the complexity of feelings, despite the repetition of the same mistakes throughout history, there remains in us a spark of a basic need for connection. It is, in a way, the most honest form of saying that we need one another, that we are fragile alone, and that by drawing closer, we find a bit of strength and healing.

The hug has no documented origin because it is older than words. It existed before rationalization, before understanding, in a place where the language of the body was still more powerful than that of the lips. Perhaps that’s why it continues to be a response to silence, pain, and joy. No matter how much we evolve, it is still in the hug that we find a way to be whole, even if only for a few moments.

Our kidnapped brothers have been without a hug from their families and friends for 321 days.

Our government seems more concerned with political maneuvers than with the return of these lives.

It is an absence that corrodes, an invisible pain that echoes in the void of every waiting, without an answer, without a gesture of compassion. The hug, which should be the first act when bringing them back, has been replaced by empty speeches and promises that fail to warm the heart. It feels like we are all being kidnapped together, and the only thing that seems more distant than these bodies is the touch that would rescue them from oblivion.

About the Author
As a Brazilian, Jewish, and humanist writer, I embody a rich cultural blend that influences my worldview and actions. Six years ago, I made the significant decision to move to Israel, a journey that not only connects me to my ancestral roots but also positions me as an active participant in an ongoing dialogue between the past, present, and future. My Latin American heritage and life in Israel have instilled a deep commitment to diversity, inclusion, and justice. Through my writing, I delve into themes of authoritarianism, memory, and resistance, aiming not just to reflect on history but to actively contribute to the shaping of a more just and equitable future. My work is an invitation for reflection and action, aspiring to advance human dignity above all.
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