The Kiss

Remember your first kiss? Is the kiss overrated? Do you like to kiss? How many movies and tv shows hype and glamorize the first kiss. What's a kiss's purpose anyway?

I still remember my first kiss. It was the summer of seventh grade and this girl that I had liked found out that I liked her. The typical exchanging hand written notes from one friend to another with the do you like me stuff. After much pen and paper used, it was decided that we liked each other. Mind you, instead of just asking each other, we used the most convoluted method possible to communicate. Gotta love those thirteen year old skills. Well, we ended up a mutual friend's house one hot July eve. We had been talking to each other once we found that we had mutual interest in each other. Every one else there at this person's house was aware that this was the first time that we were together since the news of mutual admiration. It was decided that we needed to kiss. There wwas tall bushes in the yard so we left to go behind them. It was almost one of those ready, set, go kind of moments. We looked at each other, smiled, closed eyes and kissed. More like touched lips, but it qualified as a kiss. I was invigorated. I felt changed. I felt that my journey with the opposite sex was getting ready to take off. I learned to kiss with this girl. We took our time exploring as any thirteen year olds would. The lesson didn't go very far.

My grandmother taught me about different types of kisses. Specifically how Eskimos and butterflies kiss. She said Eskimos rubbed their noses together to kiss. So we'd do it together and laugh. She said butterflies fluttered their eyelashes together. So we'd get real close and flutter our eyelashes together and laugh. This was before I was thirteen and knew more advanced types between non kin opposite sex humans.

One New Year's Eve, I had a steady girlfriend and we were celebrating at my grandparents house. There was a lot of family there and friends of my grandparents. I was over eighteen and, in the seventies, I could drink beer. I did drink beer. Well, the countdown happened like so many have-ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five ,four, three, two, one, Happy New Year! So at this point in my family you kiss every one to wish in the New Year. My girlfriend was standing next to me so I planted a special kiss for her including a little bit of tongue. Now, on to the rest of the crowd. I will never forget this next moment for the rest of my life. Polly Dunnington-a very close friend of my grandparents-think 60+, was leaning up for a kiss. My mind temporarily snapped. I thought I was kissing my girlfriend still. I leaned down and kissed her with a wet tongue! I still remember her reaction. She looked up at me and just said "Whew!" She had a huge smile on her face and I was taken aback. I didn't say a word and went on kissing with very tight lips.

Kissing is an art form. Some kisses you watch and just make you want to go out and kiss. Other people kiss and it just makes you cringe. I enjoy kissing. Now there are different types. The romantic kiss, the kissing cousin kiss, the parent/child kiss, the baby kiss, the kiss and make up, the kiss off, the kiss my ass, etc.

Kisses to me represent affection for the other person whether passionate or a lot less. There is a genuineness to it because your defenses and personal circle are down. Most people enjoy being kissed by people they care for. It shows affection and we can never have enough of loving care.

So, have you kissed someone today?

Keith