“Free Hugs”. That’s what Christopher Webster’s cardboard sign says and people take him up on it every Saturday in San Antonio, Texas. He gives and gets about 22 hugs each afternoon he’s out there with his sign and open arms. It all started with a social movement started in Australia that Webster thought he’d try six years ago and he’s been hugging ever since.
So why is this significant to our community? Because Christopher Webster has Asperger’s and has been withdrawn, uncomfortable with social interaction. What started as a social experiment has helped him “come out of his shell” and has shown others with Asperger’s that it’s okay to reach out of your comfort zone. “There are a lot of people who need hugs but won’t ask for them,” says Webster.
So if you saw someone holding up a Free Hugs sign, would you go for it?
