People have a natural
tendency to express their love and tenderness to
each other by words and touching. Kissing, the touching of somebody
else's lips or other parts of the body with the lips, is one of the
most intimate and sensual acts that humans can perform. While it's true
that some cultures reject the idea of using the lips to convey these
feelings, most people across the world kiss. And they love every minute
of it.
Kissing has been praised in songs, poetry, painting and writing since
the dawn of these arts. Love has always been a major theme for men and
women, and all its aspects have been given ample coverage. Since
kissing is usually an early step to the more serious aspects of both
the physical and emotional parts of love, it has been celebrated by
artists.
A poet begging for the sweet kiss of his lady was simply speaking of
love and sex in terms that could be publicly stated without attracting
criticism. It was, however, clear for everybody that kisses were only
the beginning. Just like the rest of the body, lips respond to our
emotions and help underscore various feelings. Lip movements are part
of the general body language since the early days or every human.
Babies show their content and pleasure by smiling. This is not learnt
from their parents, but an instinct. And, largely, so is kissing, which
is probably akin to the exploration by touch and taste common to all
infants. In time, the child develops other ways of exploring his world
and kissing takes the place of tasting. Kissing is the first major
expression of physical attraction between two people.
It's a major and undeniable step that binds two people together much
more than glances or whispered promises. People kiss to express their
feelings of love and tenderness. They also kiss to reinforce these
feelings and to assert a certain sense of possession and exclusivity.
The ideal kiss is long and passionate, but the actual kiss depends on
mood, place, time available and the experience of both partners.
The bottom line is that people enjoy both the physical sensation and
the emotional binding they find in kisses. Kisses enhance intimacy and
pave the way for sex, cuddling and shared love. They make people feel
good and, frankly, we can hardly imagine social life without kissing.
