posted June 26, 2006 03:41 AM         

THE ART OF HOLDING HANDS

Some say it's old fashioned.
Some say it's a necessity in a world of insecurity. Other's just
simply call it romantic.
Holding hands.
I love to see people holding hands. It's such a powerful statement to
the world. One that screams, "She's mine!" or "He's with me!"
I can't say that I see it much any more. I pride myself in noticing
the romance in life. I get chills when I see an unusual marriage proposal
played out on television. But these outward signs of love seem to be
disappearing.
I remember driving down the road and having my girl sitting next to me
in the car. I mean right next to me. I saw a couple that close yesterday
and thought, "Oh, my God she's not wearing a seat belt?" I was mad at the
guy for permitting this.
But I love to see older couples walking together holding hands. I met
one such couple yesterday on my return trip home. Yes, I stopped at a
mall. It seems my life is spent there. When I travel, I visit the local
mall just to spend some time, get a little exercise and of course watch and
meet people.
This day I met Art and Lilly.
I couldn't help but watch them as they strolled past the stores,
pausing every once in a while to giggle and kiss like two young love birds.
And they were holding hands. In fact, swinging their arms like two love
sick teens. I absolutely loved it. I had to say hello.
"I must tell you how refreshing it is to see the two of you so much in
love," I said.
"Oh, you can tell?" Art laughed.
"How long have you been together?" I asked.
"Forever!" Lilly said. "I believe we were meant to be from the
beginning of time. It was God's plan."
"I noticed you holding hands. I don't see that too much any more.
It's so romantic," I said.
"Well, we just don't hold hands. We connect our spirits. There's a
real science to it, you know," said Art.
"I never realized that," I said.
"Well, there are different types of hand holding," he said and went on
to explain.
"One is like this, where you just wrap your hands around each other's.
Then there's the hand hold and arm hug, where you bring her close and pull
your hands in front of you like this," he said as he demonstrated.
"Of course there's the hold where you intertwine your fingers," Lilly
said and then giggled like a kid.
"Then the real romantic one is when you reach for her hand and just
before your grasp it, you gently pull it up and kiss it. Just like in the
old days," said Art.
"And the swing? I saw you swinging your arms as you walked along," I said.
"Oh, that's just fun, goofy stuff. That's when we are just being
silly. If we could still skip, we would," said Lilly. Then they actually
tried. They stopped after one or two and just laughed. They were both so
very happy.
"You know I'm going to write about this. I send out stories to
friends I've never met on the Internet," I told them.
"Oh, the Internet," sighed Art. "That's the problem, you know.
People spend much too much time at home in front of computer games, videos,
and the Internet. You can't hold hands with a computer between you," he
said.
"No, but I can touch hearts. I will when I share your story with
them," I said.
"Do me a favor," Lilly asked.
"Yes, my young love birds," I said. They laughed.
"Call your story, The Art of Holding Hands! He's the best," she said.
They kissed, and then strolled away hand in hand. And one more time, they
turned to me and did a little skip as they started swinging their arms.
And yes, they laughed.
They truly knew, "The Art of Holding Hands."

-- Bob Perks

------------------
"WHATEVER the soul longs for, WILL be attained by the spirit"

"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation"

posted June 26, 2006 09:29 AM         

When I drive, her fingertips play
upon the nape of my neck, and she
leans over, sometimes with her head
on my shoulder.
She calls me "beautiful boy".
She won't wear her seat belt
when I ask her to.

posted June 26, 2006 07:51 PM         

hsc,
I used to call my ex 'Beauty'.....one of the millions of nicknames he had from me.

been awhile for me too, AG.