Skin hunger - could there be a more poetic term? I’ve seen it used in reference to social distancing and how we’ve all been avoiding touch. No hugs, no handshakes - and while we can see each other in chat screens, or masked at 6 feet, contact continues to be avoided, shopping left on the porch, or placed in your car by someone gloved. Skin hunger - the longing for touch.
I’m lucky, I’ve got Lisa, and while she may be doing overnights at the moment I see her everyday and get those moments of touch - the hug and kiss before she leaves, but also that causal incidental touch of passing objects between us, moving between narrow doorways, or just the simple lean. I’ve also become acutely aware of how our pets also crave contact, the dogs press into me every chance they get, and honestly I’ve never appreciated it as much as I have now. Friends, I’ve only seen and heard. Strangers - on rare occasion, by accident - hand brushing against hand as I pass on my card for what should have been a contactless transaction. A blush, a recoil, an apologetic glance. But there is also a longing for that shoulder tap to get your attention, the press of hand to interrupt your motion, or that kick under the table to stop you from telling that story again.
Most of us are visual, fewer aural, and an even a smaller portion of us tactile in the way we primarily engage the world. Still, we rely on all our senses and are now realizing how important yet subtle we use touch to engage the world and navigate our relationships. Skin hunger, when will we feed that again?
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