we are in this together, you, me, and you & me

when we shake hands or hug or kiss cheeks we are saying

we are world travelers in time and space and emotions but here we are at the same spot together

because the world is small.

when we refuse to touch, when we deny that moment of humanism, brotherhood, sisterhood

we are saying the world frightens me, you scare me, your hand your intentions, your mind.

when we refuse, you are saying, i want to be in my world and mine is different than yours

yours is one of x, y, and z and mine is nothing at all like yours, and certainly not from a

loving, trusting, honestly communicating place.

when he refuses your hand, he is saying, i cannot even pretend to be civil right now

NO I CANT EVEN

he is saying i am of a different class than you, a better one – even if i am weak.

when we shake hands we are saying we are one, we are we, we have very briefly unionized and merged.

but when we refuse that hand, that very simple gesture that goes back all the way to the begining

we are saying this is not the begining

it is the end.

and we have both failed.