Touch Journal...

I just started back to school for the semester. I am an RBA student at WVU. I take all of my courses online since I live in Charleston and WVU is in Morgantown. I usually take 6 hours per semester, and yes, someday, some-day, I will eventually finish!

This semester, I am enrolled in Nonverbal Communications and WV Government. My first, and only assignment for the Communications class is to document, for two consecutive days, every time I am touched or touch someone, i.e. hug, handshake, accidental brush -- don't worry, nothing inappropriate.

At first, thinking this was going to be just like every other online class, where you have an assignment due just about every week, I went ahead and began journaling my touch experiences. Some of the things we have to include in this paper are who initialized the touch, was it wanted, was it rejected, and if so, why, what type of relationship was there between you and the other person, etc. The professor made it very clear that the average person touches others or are touched between five to eight times per day.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not so much. For me, a toucher, and very personable person, it was like a food-a-holic having to journal EVERYTHING they eat in 2 days. It also made me supersensitive to my surroundings, who was responsive to my touch, and, well, being touched.

One thing I have to give myself credit for is for the most part (I would say about 99% of the time), knowing who I can hug, and who I cannot. In my 2 days of logging my every contact, I only ran into one person who wasn't very receptive, and I think that is just because she has been through so much with her health lately that she was probably still a little sore or apprehensive from all of her procedures.

I am very proud that I am such an open, personable person. It makes my life easier, in just about every aspect. I don't consider myself as critical as others that are more closed, and it helps me get closer and build trusts and friendships with people, they know they can be themselves around me.

I credit all of this outpouring of emotion and openness to my wonderful family. We have always been such a tight-knit family, and very open and loving. We are also extremely nurturing people (well, most of us). I always said that my Mom really ran a half-way house, because she has taken so many of us in when we needed somewhere to go. She is the best! Thank you Mom, and thank you family! God has truly blessed me.

I do believe that Stephen is following right along the "wright" pathway. He is a very affectionate baby, loves to hug, shake hands, kiss, blow kisses, and hold me tight as he goes to sleep. I absolutely love it!!!!!!!!! And now, he gives me his famous "14 Kisses." He started mimicking me kissing his face over and over by doing it to me when I least expected it. So, I decided to make a game of it, and the other night, he kissed me 14 times in a row, and I counted out loud. Now, all I have to say is "where's momma's 14 kisses?" and he runs over and starts kissing me until I count to 14. It is great! He is hilarious! Everyday with him gets better and better and better!

Give someone a hug today,
Robin