"What are you doing? Something happens to you?", Anna removed Brian's hands off her hands.
Brian told me the first reaction of his mother when he touched her hands after many years of not meeting each other.
His mum, Anna had lived by herself for long and she lived in a violent family in which people would not express the feelings for each other by hugging or touching.
Seeing Anna's reaction but knowing deep down, she would feel some connection from his touch, Brian told himself to slowly introduce touching and hugging to his mum.
Each day, later on, he would gently touch her, on shoulders or sometimes on the back. Some first weeks, mum kept telling him "what matters to you?" Brian just smiled.
Week by week, Anna started getting used to the touching of Brian, instead of quickly resisting, she kept silent.
After almost a year, Anna proactively touched and hugged Brian. She would demand Brian hug her whenever he left the house or seeing her. She also started being more open to hug others. She became happier and it had a lot to do with the patience of Brian when introducing Anna to a way of expressing care, love, and connection - hugging, touching!

It is beautiful, isn't it?
(Science also says about hugs' benefits:
1. Hugs reduce stress by showing your support
2. Hugs may boost your heart health
3. Hugs help you communicate with others)

Who will you hug today to show your care?