yeah, I think you have nailed a lot of what those of us seeking relationships need.
That said I have a little spoon, I roll over every 20 minutes and our cat (Kat) patiently gets up, walks over me and snuggles up again she is always little spoon. She is not silly, if she is at my back I could roll on her, but tucked up next to my chest it is unlikely.

Well if I was 40 years younger, I'd be knocking on your door... just sayin... lol
Don't rush into anything... you'll be fine...

I hear you! Touch is the one thing I miss. My marriage gave me literally nothing else - not emotional support, not instrumental support, not financial assistance. There was no partnership, no sharing of the burdens of life - only transferring them from him to me. Every aspect of my life was harder in my marriage. Except for that one thing - physical touch. I am not interested in/comfortable with casual sex. And given how much better life is single than it was coupled, I’m not in a hurry to find a relationship.
So I live without touch or physical intimacy. But it turns out to be easier than living without money, stability, understanding, self-worth and everything else I needed.

I was going to make a snide remark here, but then I remembered how I felt when I got my first divorce... no one to come home to, roll over and that side of the bed is cold and empty, even missing waking up to her cold icy cold feet on my back. I know that a computer is cold and hard, but here is a virtual hug and a shoulder to cry on. If you need to vent or chat, just get hold of uncle vic at outabud1 at gmail.com. I'm sure that everyone here would be willing to do the same.

There is a lot to be said for being alone. I am lonely sometimes, but it beats the heck out of sitting across from a women who absolutely hates you being in her life and you having no damned idea why it went wrong and everything attempted to make things better just makes it worse. [I did find out some of the problem later. It was her immorality, no fault of mine. That is what you get from being with a Christian.]

First remember your children look up to you and can sense you are doing well and when you don't. You need to find the way to do well... if for anything else to make their childhood more plenty. You must have a friend you can hold on to for a few minutes. RIght? From a Sailor stands point... you may be in Rough Seas but you will make it to a friendly port. Put your thoughts in writing, read them, play with them, When there is nobody else... I let the things I wrote to hug me and hold me tight. The physical aspect may be missing but that touching of my spirit by a me that wrote something in the past... works wonder. Is like if when everything else fails... I come from the past to cheer me up and rescue me from my misery until that Human Touch is there to take over. Me is all I got. But I had wrote a lot. And always have a Friend to hug.

I see nothing at all "dirty" about those thoughts !

And your thoughts are not uncommon at all - that's why some people are actually making a living at being "professional snugglers" !

You can do It!!!

I hope you feel better soon.

I feel you but not so much as I did at your age when I wasn't in a relationship...when I wanted relationships too.

With just a few random encounters between its been three years since my last impromptu LTR with an act lead I thought may be THE 1!!!, who then screwed me over in the not so fun ways...anyway...

It gets better. And remember you have us till the next special someone comes along. Try not to attack any coworkers of customers in the meantime!

I can relate to you on this, you can get emotional support from friends but at night it is just you an empty bed. It has taken me longer then I would like to admit to get used to this as my normal, still not exactly happy with it, although it has become... Familiar, in it's own way.

I have to say it's talking about the day that is hardest feeling to replace.

You're singing my tune, sister.

One of my best/fondest memories is getting up in the middle of the night, the bladder alarm needed to be tended to.

On the way back, Kris got up as her bladder alarm was going off too... I changed course and just held her. Her initial reaction said, in no uncertain terms, "no, must go pee"... then she melted into my arms. I so miss that feeling of a good hug from someone you have mutual love with.

I know whereof you speak and I wish there was a panacea, but that is only salved by time, or companionship.

I type this feeling the same way. Hate being confused and alone. I miss the talks, the closeness, and the laughs. Only been separated 2 months, hoping it gets better. This site came along at the right moment for me. Taking it moment by moment.

I’m in the same boat.

It's a vicious game we humans play with ourselves. We rarely show the proper appreciation and respect towards partners, then we inevitably end up alone. Somehow our ego rows us out to the deep end and simply tips us out of the boat into an empty abyss of loneliness, where every optimistic breath of survival is met with the overwhelming certainty that maybe "I've caused this, my own actions drove me here" and the quicksand of loneliness is so time and thought consuming that developing a strategy becomes a distant, foggy memory. I don't know if this will in any way work for you, but loneliness, in my opinion, is an actively chosen activity than can only be participated in by willing and eager people. I mean at its core, you aren't sitting in an isolation chamber, completely separated from the rest of humanity. If you agree with that, would you agree that if your physical safety was at risk, like Right Now, and the demand was to find someone to keep you warm tonight, I say you could do it. Do you agree? If not, I'd suggest you've never actually tried. So I don't know if loneliness is maybe the right issue? Perhaps the fear of rejection is so universally repulsive to all of us, that loneliness is the excuse we give to justify waiting. So id say if you want someone to keep you warm tonight, the first step is asking someone to keep you warm tonight. If you don't know anyone youd want to ask, well there are just many things to consider. Again I'm not trying to be presumptuous, I don't know your situation, but as a person who isn't blind nor mentally depraved, I see no reason why you shouldn't have the choice to either sleep alone tonight, or to not.

I know the feeling all too well. Some nights I want to feel someone's arms around me. The smell of hair or the weight of their head on my chest.

It took me a long time and a lot of experiences before it finally dawned on me that I am meant to live alone. I like that way too much. I miss interactions and full embrace but then I turn around and realize I'm making it just fine.

There is something to be said for that feeling of someone having your back. Figuratively and literally.

I'm sorry you're going through this. When this first happened to me I started sleeping in the middle of the bed for a while. Weird adaptation? lol

Sorry you're feeling this way. Don't hesitate to call or text a crisis line.

I've felt that way and eventually it gets better.

[crisistextline.org]

[suicidepreventionlifeline.org]

I feel your pain. Physical touch is everything - holding hands, cuddling on the couch, even just sleeping next to a warm body of someone who truly cares for you. It takes time to find the right one to come along, but it will happen.

Me too

Feeling lonely is a terrible thing. It can affect nearly all aspects of our life. Physical affirmation is just as important as emotional affirmation. It does feel nice to hold and be held by someone who cares for you, and to experience the comfort of loving arms.

You're not alone. Things may be difficult right now but you can get through it. If possible take some time to do something nice for yourself even if it's something small. Don't be afraid to talk to someone friends or family if you can a doctor if you have to.

Same here ... if only you were this side of the Atlantic Hang in there! I most miss the cuddles with someone you know really loves and supports you.