SOTU hugging game

While there are already several drinking games prepared for tonight’s State of the Union address, including some creative rules (e.g., borrow a drink from your buddy if/when President Obama uses the word “debt” or drink a shot of coffee at the word “stimulus”), I am proposing a different game for myself: a SOTU hugging game. Every time Mr. Obama, or Rep. Paul Ryan, or a commentator–-or even Rep. Bachmann–-says something with which I disagree, I will try to hold her/him/them in my heart. I will try to imagine a good, life-affirming reason that one might hold the opinion expressed. I will try to find compassion for the fears and hopes that motivate such statements, and I will send an imaginary hug to the person who voiced them. Then I will give myself a hug, for doing the hard work of meeting fear with compassion.

I haven’t heard anyone suggest it, but you might also take a drink (of your favorite alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage) each time a speaker is shown to be lying, according to the HuffPost real-time fact checker.

Links to the games, and the fact-checker, can be found at So May We Be.