On Intimacy...

Intimacy is beautiful and feels natural, not complicated or awkward. In true intimacy there's an unspoken connection between souls. This connection begins with a recognition of the divinity in the other. When the space between the two is not clouded by externals, ego, insecurities, past experiences, judgment, selfishness and such, there's a sense of home, of safety and oneness. Intimacy then becomes the habitat between lovers.

We have come to use the word love to refer to what we feel not only for spouses, children, family members, boyfriends, girlfriends and friends, but for jeans and cars and experiences. So when we speak of lovers, many may think of romantic and or sexual partners or an extramarital partner. Not so. For our purposes here, love is a bond, a recognition, a respect, a trust, a veneration for another. Lovers are those who respect and love each other whether in a romantic relationship or not. Intimacy then is shared between people even if they never sleep together. Intimacy can begin in an exchange of looks, in a conversation, in an embrace. Intimacy can be shared and preserved through time between friends and loved ones. When a romantic interest ensues, the physical body responds intimately as well.

Intimacy sometimes begins before we are aware of it. Two people meet and their souls relax, their spirits exhale and in each other's company they find home. These relationships begin in a place unpolluted by wants, needs, preconceptions, demands, fears and insecurities. They recognize each other without knowing it. They share closeness, understanding and familiarity. In this intimate relationship, the two have an openness of heart and offer their wholeness to one another.

Intimacy then is more than what we've come to know it to be. It is not where two bodies tangle in sex, but where two whole beings–their minds, hearts and bodies–connect, really connect.