“Reach out and touch someone,” was telecommunication giant AT&T’s award-winning tag line during the 1980s. But as it turns out, the likely outcome of reaching out and touching someone is a sexual harassment lawsuit.
This day and age, humans have become very careful about the people we touch. And for good reason. I remember learning the “appropriate” ways to touch students in the swimming classes that I taught at the local YMCA. Moreover, when I was much younger, I remember my mom telling me not to let strangers touch me – especially in my so-called “danger zone”.
Creepiness aside, there is something very healing and wonderful about touching, being touched, holding, being held, embracing or being embraced. I can’t help but think that our paranoia has left all of us a bit thirsty for the magical experience of the human touch.
The other day, my boyfriend and I were walking in the park. A poodle ran over to my boyfriend, and leaned against his legs. Despite being complete strangers, the poodle couldn’t get close enough and was absolutely ecstatic to be pet and cuddled.
Can you imagine if human beings were like that poodle? What few conflicts we would have.
Yesterday, I was surprised to hear radio commentary about a photographer that takes pictures of strangers touching each other (see above photograph). A quick Google search landed me on the photographer’s website. Quirky, awkward and emotional – click here to browse some of the pictures.
Needless to say, I have a new-found conviction to reach out and touch someone. But like so many things, I think that this journey should start at home. So if you’ll excuse me, I need to touch myself.
March 28, 2010 at 12:37 pm
first comment! DAVEY I LOVE YOU!
March 28, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Amazing picture, too funny
March 28, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Great entry, Davey!
March 28, 2010 at 1:17 pm
I just exploded with laughter at the last line. Always aspiring and always hilarious.
March 28, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Go to Italy get all the touching you can handle. Italy people akways touching, hugging and kissing. Come to my parents mother and papa will love on you. I might even give you a hug and two kisses …. Ciao
March 28, 2010 at 1:31 pm
You can touch me anytime Davey!
March 28, 2010 at 3:24 pm
I’ll come over one day to see if it’s true
March 28, 2010 at 9:19 pm
about Itaians is true,yes..
But the Brazilians,oh yah,are way more they
“touching”,always warm and friendly=)
March 28, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Definitely cultural — an American phobia. I think gay guys hug and kiss their friends more when they meet than str8 guys do.
March 29, 2010 at 4:48 pm
So very true !!!
March 28, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Haha too true,
I’m gonna sound really wierd but I always have the urge to touch people when they’r esat in front of me on the bus :/ I don’t cus that would be wierd but I still want to haha
!!!!!!
xoxox
March 28, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Nice, Davey, and thanks for the link to the wonderful photography.
March 28, 2010 at 3:09 pm
god i like you
March 28, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Davey, You wank my turnip!
March 28, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I love that pic, it is soo cool. Yes, a touch (good touch) would be a very nice way to brighten up someone’s day. If only.
March 28, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Davey…..more love to you…..great entry and pic!
March 28, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Davey, Are we living in a parallel universe or what!! Yesterday, my husband and I were also in a park and guess what? A poodle ran up to him and pushed against his legs and wouldn’t leave him. It was so nice to watch. The poodle just wanted to be near him….brushing against him. Yes, it is too bad that the mores of our North American culture has gone in the opposite direction. So, touch as much as possible at home.
March 28, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Great article!
March 28, 2010 at 5:51 pm
I am a massage therapist. I touch people all day. Touch is a neglected need in our country.
March 29, 2010 at 3:21 am
Hey Michael,
Sorry about the massage therapy comments but, it was just to make the point I made. It’s a necessary sevice. Cheers to you and your profession!!! If only we all understood what you understand about the importance of healthy touch!!!!
Kenneth R. Livingston
March 28, 2010 at 7:15 pm
I go against the grain all the way, I LOVE being touched or hugged!!
March 28, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Though I like the figurative idea of reaching out and touching some one, I just watched that Chris Rock movie Good Hair and as they suggest there do not consider touching a black woman’s hair without asking otherwise you might wind up getting your ass kicked.
March 28, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Davey,
There is something I like about you but just cannot put my finger on it, and I guess I had better not try.
March 28, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Touch – actual skin-to-skin contact is vital to human health and well-being. I don’t get nearly as much as I would like. This weekend, though, I attended a personal development course called Communication: Power to Create through Landmark Education. By the end of the weekend I had a new experience of myself as I relate to others (most especially my father) and I had hugged at least 20 people in celebration of the realizations and breakthroughs we had made together. This weekend was a great gift to myself.
March 29, 2010 at 3:24 am
Hey Mosaic Dave,
You are right that it is vital. If a new born infant is not touched for 2 weeks it will die!!!!
Kenneth R. Livingston
March 29, 2010 at 3:16 am
Wow Davey,
That’s soooo weird, I just had the exact same conversation with Clarissa. Tonight we were out smoking in the garage and Mitzy was out there with us Mitzy will never leave her side like ever unless she has to then she comes to me, lol. Anyway, Clarissa and I were joking about how Mitzy is a cuddle suck, Clarissa was scratching her ears, Clarissa commented how much she loves it. I said to bad humans aren’t like that with eachother, we’d rather spend $150.00 on a massage for and hour and a half instead of come home to our spouse or buddy or girlfriend or whatever and do for eachother what we are more willing to do for a f*****g animal. I don’t understand it either but I think it has something to do with the physical and sexual abuse you hear about on the news and elsewhere in society. You would think the natural thing to do when you come home at the end of the day would be an affection fest where whoever is there at home, you and that other person give eachother a massage being aware of where my/your back hurts from everything at the end of the day or how your/my head is just pounding and we would naturally give eachother the necessary physical contacts for us/them to be whole and perfect. The fact that this is not the reality for many people is absolutely f****d up. We would for the most part all of us rather spend $150.00 bucks then give eachother the healing that we all need. f****d UP!!!!!
Anyway, those are my thoughts,
Kenneth R. Livingston
March 29, 2010 at 3:37 am
You don’t have to tell us about ‘that’, but make sure you wash your hands afterwards.
March 29, 2010 at 7:20 am
Touching thoughts. When living in a world infected by political correctness and contaminated by fears of being accused of paedophilia or corrupting the youth. Uplifting thoughts, but everyday the only touch I get are from my pillows, and millions are like me let to the passive kindness of pillows. You know you can talk to a pillow, and it listens. Wonderbar! I spent very nice times with my pillows they are my best friends. Because there are no friends around for years and years only contacts, relations, acquaintances and e-mails ans twitteringness. Happenstances and serendipity. Pillow talk is the present and the future of humanity.
March 29, 2010 at 8:25 am
As a medical practitioner, I had many opportunities to touch my patients. I felt the healing power at times and it was overwhelming. We all need to be touched, to be loved. And a simple expression of kindness can do wonders. Look at how our dogs, our cats, all of our pets look for affection!
March 29, 2010 at 9:02 am
Great post! Touching is fundamental!
March 29, 2010 at 9:04 am
you’d better confess that, davy.
March 29, 2010 at 9:22 am
Lol I like your commentary on the subject. The ending is especially funny. But I think this artist is doing something great!
March 29, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Thanks Davey for the excellent foto link. Really enjoyed looking through it, but no fotos of you alas.
March 29, 2010 at 1:31 pm
davey you can make love to me anytime!!
March 29, 2010 at 5:16 pm
when Davide spoke of Italians being so comfortable touching each other he illustrated the power of culture. My Brit friends often mention that they could be more demonstrative.
I grew up in an ethnic community where a lot of hugging and kissing was common around town, in Church, and at home.
Well, after I had been to grad school and after teaching in the Southern U.S., I was acculturated into the local culture. How did I realize it? A young former student burst into the cafeteria, returning from two years in the teacher corps. As I stood to say hello and shake hands, she gave me a big hug. My arms were at my side straight down. I had “lost” my natural spontaneous ability to respond to a hug with a hug.
But, have no fear I’m a huger again
March 30, 2010 at 2:36 am
I sometimes will remember the touch of a stranger for months!
Just that strange comfort that you get when someone touches digits with you and then goes on with there everyday lives.
March 30, 2010 at 6:10 am
You can reach out and touch me if you like
Even in my danger zones 
March 30, 2010 at 10:22 pm
This is rather true. In the case of infants. Without touch an infant would, for lack of better words, die. That feeling of being touched to an infant doesn’t have to be from a mother, or a loved one. As long as the touch is meant for care, the infant would survive. Of course with nourishment also. Oddly, we are raised upon sensory nerves. We, as toddlers, because we have horrid coordination with our hands and feet, we tend to stick things in our mouth to not just taste but to also feel. Anyways, I digress. Love the article.
March 31, 2010 at 4:41 am
Great………..
April 5, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Je te trouve très mignon
April 7, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Very powerful indeed.
I can feel the love and connection of each picture, they might not ever see each other again, but at that moment, they’re in a better world.
The photographer must feel very powerful to be able to connect the world.
I’m inspired, now it’s my turn. (I’m actually into photography, and this is gonna be my next project…some time in the future)
April 7, 2010 at 5:54 pm
touching myself at the moment… haha
April 17, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I was amazed and inspired by the raw life shown in those portraits. Thank you for introducing me to Richard Ranaldi’s work.
November 8, 2010 at 8:28 am
YAY! 44th to comment, I must be special
lol.
. (I know im replying to old stuff but I can’t help but read all of your blogs, they make me… happy, in a way 
)
God, That last line made me crack up and hope for a bit of a better picture, but still; funny guy, keep it up
August 28, 2011 at 5:32 am
Hehe I like the joke u made “exude me but now I need to go touch myself”