Touch me, touch me !.....

The Master's Touch
His hands gently, firmly move over my shoulders,
Slowly up my neck,
I relax under his touch.
Gently working away the tensions, easing the way.
Slowly, methodically.
My eyes drift shut with the rhythmic moving of his hands.
Those hands gently stroke my face, eyes,lips.
He slowly works his hands into my hair,
Massaging my scalp,
My brain ceases to function.
His hands begin slowly retracing their path,
His touch becomes firm, demanding.
He pulls from within me,
he reaches to the core of my being.

http://www.magkllady.com/ml006.html

I know what you're thinking! Get your mind out of the gutter! Yes, this is about touch, and yes, there will be some references to sex but not like you think!


Yesterday morning, I had a massage and I started thinking about the importance of touch in our lives and how things change as we grow up.


When we are born, our parents hold us and cuddle us for comfort. Often, a crying baby will only need to be picked up to stop crying. Preemies are held skin to skin as part of their therapies and treatments. As children, we run to our parents for comfort again. When someone is mean, when we fall, when we haven't seen them because of school, what is the first thing Mom or Dad does? Hugs and pats on the back. When we tuck our children in at night, do we just make sure the covers are folded neatly and tightly around our child? No, we kiss and caress their hair. That final reassurance that all is well in the world.


Children on the playground will hug and hold hands as friends or to comfort one another. One child might take a new friend by the hand to introduce him/her to the group.


As we grow into our teens though, the significance and meaning of touch changes. It starts to take on a sexual connotation. Boys and girls hold hands to signify togetherness. Same sex touch becomes almost taboo as they learn and establish their own identities.


As adults, touch becomes a no-no. No pats on the back from the boss, no hugs between men and women unless related or very close friends. People start to make assumptions about others that touch. They must be gay/having an affair/coming onto/harassing, etc.....


But I think touch between adults is important. Touch means acceptance, reassurance, comfort to others. We hug for comfort and support, to show friendship, love, desire. I personally think that when we touch each other, emotion is transmitted some how. That is how a man and women can communicate love through hand holding across the table or a brief touch in the middle of the night.


Since my husband and I are not even on the same continent, I miss the touch in my life. Sure, I have my daughter but usually the hugs are from me to her as mother to child. I don't have that adult to adult touch in my life.


When I had my massage yesterday, I realized that is what I have been missing lately. The massage doesn't make up for my husband not being here, it wasn't that kind of massage, if you know what I mean! But it did make me feel better, not just physically, but emotionally too. The massage therapist, I think, truly cared how I felt and that came through emotionally, also. I even talked to her about this, telling her I wasn't being creepy, and she agreed that is why some people come in. They need that reassurance and emotion that comes from a massage.


I am not a psychiatrist or a psychologist but I am certainly psycho! but I honestly think that what this world needs is more good touching! Things have become so distant these days. So, the next time one of your friends is down, give them a hug, a pat on the back or a squeeze of the hand. Let them know, through your touch, that you care!

A contest: Things that you would never think you would say...

I have long wanted to write down a list of things that have come out of my mouth since being a mom that you would never think you would say!
For example:
"Get the cat out of the dishwasher!"
"I can see from this, that you had green beans for lunch."
"What does jumping on the trampoline have to do with gum in your hair?"
So, I am going to start a list of funny or weird things that have come out of my mouth (words, people, words) and I want everyone to contribute also!
Leave them in comments and I will add them as I get them.

Retail therapy!

Did you ever just want a reason to shop? I mean, come on! Its just aching to be bought and here you are, at your computer, looking through stuff and that blouse just leaps out and screams, "I would look perfect on you! Who cares that I am not on sale! Buy me, buy me!"

OK, so maybe merchandise on the web does not speak to you the same way as to me but in the past, retail therapy has been an issue for me. I admit that I was one of those people who got a thrill from purchasing stuff (and I mean stuff) and I felt better for a few minutes. I eventually got help for what was actually bothering me and I am faithful about taking those happy pills every day. That is what kept me from buying this morning.

I have, through my ISP, a spam blocker on my email accounts. This dumps known spam immediately and puts questionable material in a special folder. I look through that to make sure that no one that I want to hear from has changed their email address and my ISP has blocked them. This is where all the sale ads from various places I have ordered from goes.
I was checking this folder online this morning and saw "FREE shipping on orders over $50." and my resolve crumbled. Honestly, my resolve was not even there!!! I had to go look at these clothes, after all they are the new fall fashions! And I have been living out of a suitcase for 2 months. Not an easy thing to do after a while.
I am browsing through the blouses and shirts, thinking, if I had a job, I would need these clothes. I can see myself wearing that shirt. I would need some gray pants with that blouse. Etc, etc, etc. I start thinking, where can I get a job? I could go back to the bank where I worked previously, these clothes would look sharp there.
Then, the meds kicked in and reality became, well, reality! I am living in what is essentially a hotel, with my daughter, two dogs and a house on the way, out of a suitcase that contains 4 shirts, 4 pairs of jeans and some shorts. I have 15,000 pounds (that's 7 1/2 tons) of stuff on its way to the house that I don't officially own and I want a job so that I can buy new clothes! Now mind you, in that 7 tons of stuff that is coming, is some really nice clothes that I bought on other occasions when I was partaking in retail therapy. At one time, I actually had enough outfits to wear to work for 3 weeks without ever repeating a single item. That is not a typo, I actually said 3 weeks! I kept track on a special calendar hung just inside my walk- in closet. Yes, my walk- in closet. My husband had to use the closet in our spare room for his stuff.
So, in the interest of keeping my credit card bills down and so I don't get a job just to justify the new clothes, I deleted the email, permanently.

After all, I know how to get that free shipping code some other way. ;)

That's one sick puppy....

Now, I've heard that phrase in association with someone doing something gross or stupid but today this applies to Max. Poor baby.
Maybe some of you remember that the dogs weren't interested in their kongs unless I held them but I decided to give it one more try and this time use CREAMY peanut butter instead of chunky. It worked! Both dogs really got into licking out the PB and I thought all was well.
Well, I was wrong. This evening, Cee and I came back from the pool and I opened the door to our room and about through up. Seriously, heaved and choked. I had put Max in the kennel because he had been naughty with Cee's stuff earlier. Thank goodness for that decision. Apparently, the PB was too much for his little system. At least it was all contained. He went straight into the bath (ugh!) and the kennel went outside. Then I cleaned the kennel, the tub, the floor, etc. I am pretty sure that I got the smell out but I may have olfactorally adapted. Housekeeping will probably heave tomorrow.
I feel so bad for him right now. He is drinking water but will not eat at all, not even saltines, his favorite treat!
So, if any of you have a space in your prayers tonight, think of Max.