Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the show. Got a great one plan for you. Something I've been

kind of working through sitting with for a while. This came out of a book that was released

and it really became more of an expanded topic because I think it hits a lot of things in our

culture that we need to work on individually, relationally. So we're going to talk about ready for this one, how to be a better, a better platonic friend,

but more importantly, how do work on building intimacy with friends, showing them that you love and you care for them?

It's an interesting one because in America we are very touchphobic.

We, well, we're touchphobic in general. And then we especially

are that, are that way with expressing affection for not just like family members and people we

care about, but also for friends. And then you go to other cultures and you see friends,

uh, heteromail friends holding hands. There was an amazing article that was done. And I can't

remember, I cannot remember the country, but it was, it was very much a norm in this country. And there's a lot of photos of hetero, hypermasculine males kissing each other hello and holding hands. And I thought, like, what a beautiful expression that is so triggering and so makes so many people uncomfortable

in our current culture.

There's a lot of homophobia that comes up and they see two man holding hands or expressing

care, kissing each other.

But then there are some cultural communities and families that they very much do do that

where the father will kiss his son, you know, good night or hello or say,

I love you and maybe they'll, you know, grab each other and kiss them on the lips and say hi.

And there's something very beautiful in that demonstration because it makes people feel cared for.

So there's some homophobia in there.

And then also, like I said, in there, which is this idea that only your primary

monogamous partner should ever receive handholding or an arm around them or expression of love or care.

And it's such a sad thing to the detriment of people that maybe aren't even partnered and really

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