Touch is the most complex of senses, involving so much more than mere fingertips. All skin, from the scalp to the soles, provides sensory input, with varying sensitivity depending on surface area and location. There are different degrees of pressure, assorted kinds of texture. Let us distinguish active from passive touch as well, for they are very different creatures.
Herself enjoys -- nay, needs -- to interact primarily with the environment through touch. Certain surfaces call out to her to be handled: smooth or polished; watery; all things fuzzy. She is also compelled to touch the people of whom she is most fond -- as we have discussed before, if she likes an individual, she does not hesitate to physically interact with that person by hugging them, patting them, standing close enough to them to feel their warmth. She often must remind herself that other people may not appreciate so much physical contact, and she stifles her touch lest she be bothersome.
She dislikes receiving a light touch. Tickle her at your own risk, for she will quickly lash out physically in response. At the other end of the spectrum, she similarly reacts strongly to being compressed or restrained. She enjoys the rare occasion when she gets her hair cut, for the handling of her hair is quite soothing. Certain textures are comfortable and comforting: cotton, leather, the fur of a living creature, the plush of a stuffed toy. Others are problematic: wool, damp items, prickly materials, sticky things.
The best tactile sensations? Smooth stones. Polished wood. Seeds. Chestnuts. Flowing water. A new book. Sand between her toes. The newly shorn heads of her loved ones after a haircut. A steady breeze. Gourds. Warm flannel sheets. Cool marble. Protective arms encircling her. The puppy.
What do you like to touch?
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