Hope This Feeling Lasts the Rest of My Life

Touch is both the alpha and omega of affection.

There's a group of people - mostly guys - that hang out at the UC in the afternoons and evenings. They're of some different ethnicity, and they tend to be a little loud and obnoxious. As I was waiting for Rob tonight, I sat and absorbed the group from across the room. I listened to them laughing and joking in a language that I didn't understand, and I watched them lean on each other's shoulders and high-five each other repeatedly. As one guy got up to leave with his girlfriend, he grabbed each of his friends' hands and, one at a time, kissed them on the cheek. You might think that that's the most sketchy-gay thing you've ever heard, but I thought it was beautiful.

Can you imagine life without a hand on your shoulder, a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or a lingering touch?

From eduPASS, a guide to studying in the USA:

Interestingly, the average personal distance varies from culture to culture. Americans tend to require more personal space than in other cultures. So if you try to get too close to an American during your conversation, he or she will feel that you are "in their face" and will try to back away. Try to be aware of this, so if the person to whom you are speaking backs away a little, don't try to close the gap.

Also, try to avoid physical contact while you are speaking, since this may also lead to discomfort. Touching is a bit too intimate for casual acquaintances. So don't put your arm around their shoulder, touch their face, or hold their hand. Shaking hands when you initially meet or part is acceptable, but this is only momentary.

Seems weired, but only because we live in a society obsessed with personal bubbles. I really think that, in a perfect world, we've got our priorities mixed up. We'd all love a little more if we weren't so afraid of the blessing that was meant to bring us closer together.