It's all in the touch

I believe that most of us are tactile people, of course, some more than others. Babies first learn that they are loved from the touch of their parents. Adolescent boys show their connection to each other by punching each other on the shoulders or slapping their backs. Come to think of it, adult males do that too especially after a few drinks and watching their favourite football team win!

It's easy to forget that the simplest way to express love to another human being is in the form of a touch. I'm not referring to sexual touching. It's the simple non sexual touching that speaks volumes.

I was reminded of this several times this week. On our way home from school, Osh Osh was sitting with me in the taxi and he had his head on my lap. He looked up at me and touched my upper lip. He said, "This one has dark colour," then he touched my lower lip, 'This one has light colour". I smiled and explained that my lipstick had faded. He smiled and for that moment, I felt so much love for him. It was a simple act of curiousity but to me, it served as a timely reminder of how easily one can feel love through a simple touch.

A friend recently shared how much it meant to her when her husband gave her a hug and reassured her of her worries and troubles. It helped her to hear the words from her beloved but I believe it was the hug that cemented the assurance convincingly.

I gave my father in law a box of chocolates as a token gift for their 40th wedding anniversary. He didn't expect a gift from us and I could see that he was very touched. He took my hand and held it to his face for a brief moment. We don't normally hug. His gesture was powerful to me in that it clearly told me that he appreciated my thoughts for him and my mother in law.

In the midst of our usual morning rush today, as I was helping Osh Osh put on his uniform, DH came to stand beside me and gently ruffled my hair. He bent over to kiss me briefly and then we carried on with our busyness. The brief moment of connecting with DH helped me keep things in perspective. We may have countless things to take care of today but we should never be too busy not have to our hair ruffled!