WE DID IT!

We did it.
You did it.
I did it.
We did it.

When I went down the escalator at 8.30 last Tuesday morning, I felt queasy in my stomach and clutched my ‘FREE HUGS’ sign with trembling hands. I had no idea what to expect and no clue if anyone would show up.

But show up they did.
So much happened, and it’s very hard to put into words, but it looks like we’ve started a movement.

You can see a short video about it from de Telegraaf hier.
You can see me hugging a cop, a ticket agent, and a construction worker in Tilburg hier.
It was front page news hier.
See what happened in Utrecht hier.
And I so want to get in on this hug right hier.

12 hours after my first hug, I made a little vlog about the day. About our day. And how we literally, and figuratively touched thousands that day.

In my last newsletter I asked what would happen if no one showed up?
And now, I can honestly say, that after getting requests from different countries abroad (we were even on Italian TV!), dozens of cities in the Netherlands, hundreds of reactions to the amazing photos, and people who have stopped me on the street every day since…..I can now say that Heel Holland Hugt is a movement. In March we’re going national, and we will be global soon.

I cannot thank you for your support, for all your mails and messages, for all the tears and hugs and stories and silent smiles as you walked by. For all the love I have received from so many of you and for all the kindness I have been so deeply fortunate to encounter. For those who brought us flowers, balloons, drinks, who walked with us, joined us in our mission.

Thank you all so much, for so very much.
You are so loved.

With happy tears,
X buffi