Touch.

Not too long ago, I put up the start of a story that I called "Empty". Link here. A bit further back, I also did a post on the five senses and how important I thought they were, rating touch as the most important. Link here. I've also put up a status before saying that everything has a reason to it, even if we don't know that reason.
Those three are all related.
Namely, "Empty" has a reason to it, which is linked to why I consider touch the most important sense.
I'll....expand on that a little. I did talk on it a bit in that post, but in a more impersonal sense.

Anyone who's seen me will know I'm a fairly shy person. I generally keep myself to myself. Been getting better more recently, but still generally true. I even used to avoid touch, sometimes to a ludicrous degree. I still have a bit of a flinch reaction sometimes, if I'm not expecting it.
And yet....I rate it as the most important of the senses. Not only that, it's my favourite one. (Don't take that the wrong way.) Handshakes to hugs, mateshakes to manhugs, and everything in between - nothing I like more. Seeing a person's face is fantastic; hearing their voice I always love; having a hug with them, I treasure.

So....how does that work? Loving touch, but yet - keeping myself to myself? Well, it comes down to really being quite insecure about this sort of thing. I've never been good when it comes to risk; I'm always afraid of the bad possibilities that could eventuate. As I've mentioned before, I can imagine them all. In a split second. And touch can quite easily turn into something that's misunderstood, or misinterpreted. Generally speaking, as coming on to someone, or something similar. Displaying some sense of attraction. Depending, of course, on the manner/nature of the touch, person it's with, etc etc.
A handshake is usually fine, though somewhat formal, hence the mateshake. (Term I invented to describe any of the random handshakes invented by people that are more/different to the regular.) Hug can be OK, depending on the person and situation. Generally speaking, the one I like best. Manhug, not as good, but some guys are more comfortable with it. Holding hands - usually means something a bit more. Or it's a game, or helping someone across the road, or some sort of dance. (Which is another thing again - perhaps something I'll do a post on at one point.)

And, of course, sometimes it can mean something more. But it isn't implicit in the method of touch itself, that's something added. A deeper level of meaning, which some are a bit better at picking up than others.

And, of course, each person is different. Some can't stand contact, some can't be without it. Some will agree with me and love hugs most. Some will prefer something else, maybe holding hands. (Wouldn't know, not really something I've done that much.) Then some might like kissing more. (Again, wouldn't know.) Some prefer a soft touch, some one that lingers, or is just as much as can be managed at once. And to each their own.

If you don't believe me about the importance of touch; let me relate to you the story of Cadmus Peverell. It comes from Harry Potter. (All the best metaphors do.) He received from Death a Resurrection Stone; that could bring back people from the dead. He brought back the woman he loved, who had died. And he could see her; he could hear her. But he could not touch her. She was immaterial, a ghost. And so he committed suicide, so that he could really be with her; be of the same form that she was. To hold her.

Now tell me that touch isn't important.