The Human touch

I was thinking about something this morning… What!  He thinks? You ask yourself.  Yes..on occasion.

I was thinking about sitting on the couch with Tracy, Molly, Chris, Kevin, Jacqui, Dan…maybe all not on the same couch, but two small couches and one coffee table. Maybe a Monday night, a hot summer night, a few glasses of wine or beers, it’s dark outside, it’s dark in the room except for the glow of the TV, we’re sleepily watching a movie. Nobody is really talking, but everyone is relaxed, leaning on each other, legs piled on the coffee table. My Tribe. No personal space…just a big pile of friends.

Then back in time…Fiske Hall…Me, Jeremy, Jason, Brian, Mace, Donna Lee, Katie-O so many others…watchin Letterman, again, piled onto couches and chairs…eating Ramen. Late night conversations.

From there, I went back further, perhaps because I’ve reunited lately with family and friends who are now spread out across the country. I remember so many family gatherings and reunions; or just summer get-togethers; at Nana & Bup’s or at Grandma’s. I was one of the youngest cousins. I remember games of tag, wiffle ball, lots of food, hanging out on the porches and back steps. In love all with mis primas and wanting to emulate all my cool primos. Ice cream! Quicksand! Swing on the Big Elm. More wiffle ball in the back yard. My aunt’s swimming pool. Sleep-overs. Kids piled in blankets on beds, sleeping bags, couches.

I don’t have much to say, really…just reminiscing… looking at memories from a distance. We are all spread out now. A few phone calls, maybe; a visit now and then; or now, the internet, brings family and old friends back together. Little snipets of conversations and some nice pictures. Pictures speak 1000 words….it’s true. Amazing…the internet.

Now I’ve met and started some great correspondences with new people, because of the internet. Even made a couple of friends, I’d say. The internet allows us to talk to people all of the world…from close by like New York, to far away places like China, Italy and Australia. Different lives and experiences in different places. Different ways of speaking…even different languages.

The common thread here…not what you might think. It’s dinner. It’s shaking hands and hugs. Its sitting on the couch. It’s blankets….. It’s actually none of these, because whether its family, old friends, or new friends…the internet allows us to talk and visit like never before, but it leaves a big gap. One that, for me, feels like a hole that never seems to be filled. There’s no human touch.