Smells and Bells

In our society, touch and the desire to be touched get a bit of a bum wrap. However, touch in general and the touching of others serves very important social functions. In her book, Ackerman talked about how sight in infants remains undeveloped for a fairly long time, which means that the very important realization that a separation exists between the self and anything else is formed by touch. Before they know anything else, babies learn that their bodies take up space and learn that other objects take up space too. However, to these babies who have very little understanding beyond what they feel, the caregiver that feeds, protects, and touches them is inseparable from the rest of the outside world. To them, the outside world is protection. Upon growing, and gaining a more full understanding of the world around them, people realize that it is not the outside world that protects them, but others who care for them. The early lesson, however, that touch is safety, is h...