h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of my favorite memories is one of holding hands with a special friend. The magic of her touch was one of comfort, innocence, warmth , and closeness.

I know that feeling

Its strange, but it was holding hands with one of my (now long-gone) at the time long-term girlfriends that really stands out as being very intimate moreso than all the other physical stuff we got up to.
There is definatly something very intimate about holding hands, and I can remember like it was yesterday (now about 5 years ago), how I felt holding her hand as she drove(and yes this can I guess be a bit dangerious unless your careful) , and then holding hands as we walked around the shopping centre, very romantic I guess.
But I will stop myself thinking of it for too long, as it it will only make me sad, reminding me what I missed when Marrion left me.

in a man to man, supportive, bonding kind of way (!)

I have fond memories of holding hands too, it seems so long ago now *sighs* You're right, it does seem to be a very intimate thing to share with someone.

I have heard it explained much better than i will attempt to repeat it that holding hands is much more than sex or kissing......

There is a mental conection that goes further than most sexual (intercouse) encounters. Really think hard soem of the fondest memories will not be sex but of contact (physical) usually hand holding with others.

I think there is truth in this. I wonder if studies have been done?

A lot, of that which happens between lover's, even that which is down-right explicitally sexual, is still happening in the mind... in the head, which is why the same... sex with differnt people can vary in its pleasure giving/recieving, depending on how besotted/in love you are with the indivdiual concerned, So, I guess, somethign like holding hands, with someone you really love, its... more than the physical contact between your hands, both of you are probabaly thinking all kinds of thoughts whilst doing this, about their love for each other... and probably having some nice dirty thoughts of a more sexual nature too mind

Well said 2legs

I have cherished memories also - especially of the very first time my darling and I held hands

We were in the cinema and I was wondering how to go about initiating the hand holding, but then the film triggered me. My darling reached out to check I was OK, and I took hold of her hand gratefully and her touch grounded me, then we held hands for the rest of the film and our fingers caressed each other's palms in a very sensual way