When we think of The Kiss, our minds might go straight to Gustav Klimt’s amazing painting, created in 1907 during the Golden Period. It now hangs in the Belvedere Gallery in Vienna for anyone who wishes to see it in person.
For those of us who cannot get to Vienna, we can still appreciate the value of a simple act. A kiss.
I saw a woman this morning with, what I think was probably her son holding their dog close, kissing and comforting him. I don’t know if they were just loving him, or he had been hurt. Nonetheless it was a very sweet thing to observe. It made me smile.
Kids are quick to hug and kiss, no inhibitions.
The French like to give two upon greeting each other, one for each cheek.
In Australia, we share this custom offering one kiss on the cheek when we say hello and good bye. It took me a while to get used to this when I first arrived from the US and then I got it wrong a lot, accidentally going to the wrong side and ending up smack on the mouth. By the way, I did this on sidewalks too, constantly walking into people.
I think I have it right now, both on sidewalks and greetings. I love this custom and hope it doesn’t disappear in a world immersed in political correctness.
At Christmas I say bring back the mistletoe! Not that we need an excuse to kiss our loved ones but what a gorgeous way to offer closeness to people, in a simple, old fashioned yet ever-lasting way.
Photo credit: Murals Wallpaper