Free Hugs for All

"I came back from overseas," says Juan Mann (a pseudonym), "and everyone just seemed so miserable, so I thought I'd see if I could do something to cheer people up a bit." And so Juan Mann set out to a local mall with some simple, hand lettered signs that read, "Free Hugs."

At first, people were hesitant. Free hugs? Personal contact with a stranger, in this day and age?

But eventually, one person came up for a hug. And then another. And then still more. Before long, people were queueing up to receive their hugs, and more had volunteered to distribute them, taking their own Free Hugs signs.

Men, women, children, some sad and some laughing, some barely patting the Free Huggers on the back, others throwing themselves into the Huggers' arms. Before long, there was a swelling of love and joy throughout the crowded mall.

When the police tried to shut the Free Huggers down because they didn't have any insurance in case someone got injured, 10,000 people signed a petition to let the hugs keep flowing.

Juan Mann and his Free Hugs have become a sensation on YouTube, and have been featured on Good Morning America. The trend has caught on, with people offering Free Hugs in Taiwan, South Korea, and in front of the Busch Stadium before the World Series games kicked off.

Watch the inspiring video, set to music by Sick Puppies, to see the steps that One Man - Juan Mann - made to make the world a better place.

Do you have a story about someone who has improved the world with steps large or small? Tell me about it in the comments!