by Johanna Osborne

 
It’s a busy world we live in; hectic and fast paced. We like it like that… at least I think we do. And whilst our frantic schedules bring great rewards such as a rich social life, successful careers and constant stimulation, the casualty of such a pace can be that the small things get forgotten. Particularly touch.

These days many of us rush out the door without having a moment to give our loved on a kiss on the lips (or even the cheek) and when we get home, there’s often just too much to think about. The end of day hug and snuggle is falling to the wayside for many couples, when in reality the intimacy you gain from such a fleeting yet significant encounter is perhaps the most worthwhile of all. We have somehow skipped over the small meaningful things, and we want all the big stuff instead. Teenagers these days are madly pawing themselves rather than discovering the magic of holding hands. Couples go to sex therapy instead of snuggling at the movies or looking at each other and talking. Love and romance haven’t changed, we have.

If you look at those golden oldie couples that have been married for decades and ask what their secret is, they always have one thing in common – time for each other and plenty of affection. And that includes touch – holding hands as they walk down the road or watch TV, snuggling and cuddling and always having time for that kiss hello or goodbye. It’s not crazy and wild, but it’s insanely romantic all the same.

Have you tried it? Give a big giant bear hug to your husband/fiancé/best friend/dad/mum and squeezing hard. It is the most amazing feel-good thing there is! It can be romantic or just as meaningful on a platonic level. I recall giving my Dad big giant hugs and as manly as he was, he loved them as much as me. He squeezed me tight back and I could literally feel his energy flow. He had strong arms and it was the most amazing feeling that I was his little girl and he loved me beyond measure. I felt so happy, so safe. What I wouldn’t do to be hugged by those arms again!

It’s a fact, humans need touch. Experiments have shown that newborns would not survive if they were denied human touch. We crave it, we need it, it helps us grow and instantly makes us feel better. Ironic then isn’t it, that we spend so much time talking about the importance of personal space, when in fact we might need the opposite.

The nurturing effect of touch goes way beyond couples- children need their parents to hug and kiss them, stroke their hair and tickle their feet, animals crave to be patted by us and we religiously head to massage clinics to have someone heal and distress us with their hands. Touch is magic.

Just like sight, smell, sound and taste are the things that flavour our world, touch is equally vital in our existence. It’s only a matter of being aware of exactly how powerful such a little touch is. And making a difference with it!