Until today.
I was at the gym, minding my own business, sitting on the bike, pedaling and pedaling endless miles while I read a book on my Nook. (And no, I’m not trying to be Dr. Suess…I really was reading a book on my Nook, which is an electronic reader in case you’re unfamiliar with the term.) But I digress. So there I was, pedaling and pedaling, and reading and sweating, when I glance up and notice two guys walking up to a third guy who’s working out on a machine. (The chest-pull-down-bar-thing-a-ma-jig contraption…Yeah. I’m sure that’s the technical name for it too.) Anyhow, I happened to glance up at the exact moment of the interlude. They do the quick nod acknowledgment and then they actually FIST BUMPED! All three of them. It. Was. Awesome. I almost choked stifling my laughter. They were totally and completely serious. Like, it was an actual “Cool Guy Greeting.”
Then I thought about it. It actually is pretty cool. Sure, shaking hands might be the old-fashioned, proper and formal way to do things…but this is just another way to do it…without smashing sweaty palms together. Friendly physical contact among people. Wow. That's refreshing. Think about it. It’s a sign of affection, it’s a greeting and it’s a human touch. We all need it. In fact, we crave it. They’ve actually done studies on this…newborn babies won’t thrive without physical contact. Neither will children, or marriages for that matter. And unfortunately, in this day and age, too many people don’t give it freely anymore. People are so guarded. Why is it we give affection freely to our pets, bending over to scratch them behind the ears as we walk in the door, or absentmindedly reaching down to pick up the cat as we walk through the house. Shoot – we'll even pet a stranger's dog without a second thought. Yet, touching a co-worker's elbow when they're visibly upset, or accidentally brushing someone's arm seems to completely freak us out. It's not that big of a deal. They don't have cooties. (Well. Maybe they do. But you're probably not gonna catch it from a half-second touch on their shirt sleeve.) Open yourself up a little.
Something as simple as a reassuring touch on someone’s shoulder or a pat on the arm can really show your sincerity. It can show you care. One small touch can speak more than words. You can even go all out –(and I know I'm probably gonna scare some of you with this suggestion, but just hang on...) give someone a hug who needs it. Physical touch brings us closer together. Not only will the person receiving it feel better, I bet you will too. Hugging someone doesn’t mean you’re weak, or weird, or creepy. It means you care and you are sensitive.
With all the changes going on in the world today (e.g. Egypt, Libya) we really need to come together as a human race. And no, I’m not going to get on my soapbox now. (Well, not for more than ten seconds anyway.) But if there ever was a time for us to show a little compassion to each other, it would be now. Is this gonna change the world? No. Will it make your world (the 10-mile radius you basically live in and the people you surround yourself with) a nicer place? Yes. Ya gotta start somewhere.
So, whether you fist bump, or shake hands, or hug, or high-five… go ahead: reach out and touch someone. (And yeah – I just borrowed that from a commercial. I can’t remember which product it was a slogan for though…sucky memory – remember?) Ha! I just got the irony in that.
Next time I see ya, I’ll be looking forward to our fist-bump. And I won’t even laugh. I might just blow it up afterward too. See? I can be cool when I wanna be. Eat your heart out, Britney Spears. (Oh. Wait. Is she still cool? Oops. Probably not.)