quick post, as it is bedtime (hopefully)

Is it just me, or do you find that - for lack of a better phrase - we here in America are afraid to "reach out and touch someone"?

I am so used to touchy-feely types of people: my family is very much a family that shows affection through pats (dad) and hugs (mom), etc. A majority of my close friends from home (Ty, Katie, etc) are very touchy-feely, as well. And another dear friend will punch (lightly) in the arm as a sign of affection.

All this to say, is that I realized how *foreign* it is - if you are in my demographic of the working 20- or 30-something, unmarried, urbanites - to have daily, human, physical contact. I was struck by this in a few ways over the last week:

1. I hugged my friend AW at work, because she was having a horrible Monday. And I like to give hugs, but I almost checked myself, in my head saying "is this weird...to be hugging in an office?" No, was the conclusion I came to. It's not!

2. Whenever I go get my hair done, I relish when the time comes for C to wash my hair. She washes it and massages my head. AH Heaven! Seriously, just melts the stress away.

3. If I'm with DGS, just holding hands = fabulous!

4. My friend Tamra used to always say that "A person needs 7 affectionate touches a day to stay happy and healthy". And she would walk around SFCM giving hugs, squeezing shoulders, hands, whatever. All in promotion of this maxim. And you know what? I think she's right!

Babies need affection - they need to be held, and not neglected. It affects their behavior and development. I think as adults, we feel we grow out of that need. But really, I don't think so. I always notice after a trip home or something just how much of that lacks on an everyday basis.

Interesting . . . hmmmmmmmm