Embrace

Author: Zhang Xiaoxian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Embracing feels so good—it’s a physical comfort, a worldly reward. Sometimes, I feel like a sloth, climbing onto my lover’s body, wrapping my limbs tightly around him, resting my head on his shoulder, letting him struggle as much as he wants—he can’t shake me off. His body is my throne. I also love tiptoeing to welcome my lover’s deep bear hug. My face pressed against his chest, I suddenly feel how small I am. I won’t forget a heartfelt embrace—I cry because I can’t see his face, unsure if he’s crying too, but I know how much he loves me in that moment. The strength of an embrace is the depth of love. When two people haven’t embraced for a long time or only give perfunctory hugs, we understand clearly that this relationship is no longer what it once was. When love fades, we can’t help but cherish the countless happy embraces from those bygone days. I named my second collection of essays Embrace because it’s my favorite kind of "exercise." I hope to be a good hugger—not too fat, nor too bony—someone whose weight feels substantial yet warm when held. I also hope that when you hold this book, you’ll feel the same way I do, reminiscing about your lover’s embrace. In this vast, indifferent world, we search for love, but it’s just a pursuit of an endless embrace—sometimes we find it, sometimes we don’t, and sometimes we find it only to lose it again. Before this mortal body decays, if someone has lifted me with a smile, it proves I’ve experienced the love of this world. So even if life is impossible without regrets, I shouldn’t complain anymore.