I think hand holding might be the single most mis-interpreted act of affection ever. People are always treating it as a first small step toward more intimate actions like kissing, or a publicly acceptable way to say “I’m in a relationship to the person whose hand is attached to mine.”
But really, it’s a single desperate act to attempt to share an emotion with another human being. Gripping a hand is like sobbing all the tears that have been welling in your eyes at once while begging someone not to leave, to hold you, to quell the terrible sense of fright welling inside your stomach. The gentle taking of another’s hand is to ask someone sincerely to embark on whatever journey may lie before you in your company. An attempt to lead while handing over every ounce of trust and courage you can muster.
But I guess what I’m trying to say is, I tend to over-think things when I really, really need them.
