Handshake

 A handshake is used throughout the world as a greeting or parting where two people grab one another's right hand and shake it up and down a couple of times.  Handshakes originated as a friendly greeting.  Extending your right hand to show you aren't holding a weapon.  The up and down motion was to shake out any weapons you might be hiding up your sleeve.  Hand shakes are sometimes used in business deals.  You hear about people doing business over a handshake.  Sometimes there is a spit into the palm before the handshake.  The spit handshake is a sacred agreement between two individuals that is being done with clean hands.

Enter COVID and the thought of touching another person's hand put a stop to the conventional handshake.  I have seen fist bumps and elbow bumps take the place of the handshake greeting. 

I was never fond of the handshake.  I remember shaking hands with vendors' slimy, sweaty hands and wanting to immediately run and wash my hands before sitting down to our meeting.  Why are you shaking my hands if you know that yours are sweaty and slimy?  Wipe them off or refuse to shake my hand!  In order to avoid shaking hands, I learned to say, "I have a cold."  It worked almost every time.

COVID has stepped in and no one shakes hands.  I'm happy that I don't have to shake someone else's sweaty hand.  I wonder how this will affect professionals and business deals?  Fist bumps?  Elbow taps?  A wave of your right hand?

How do you feel about handshakes?