We are at our most vulnerable in a first kiss. There’s a beautiful project circulating the internet right now where a videographer, Tatia Pilieva, asks twenty strangers to kiss for the first time on camera. Of the ten shots, every single “couple” starts out asking each other names, standing awkwardly, laughing at the ridiculously personal task they’ve been set.
Some of the couples wind up with a quick peck and finish with a hug. Other couples get a little more passionate, an artificial or a genuine chemistry flaring up between them. It’s bizarre to watch – this very structured project taking something as personal as a first kiss and putting it on display for millions of viewers to invade.
But it says something about how we work. We can’t control who we’re attracted to physically, or not attracted to. We can’t control how the other person is going to respond to a romantic advance. We can’t control how we are going to react when the kiss is over.
Perhaps the most stunning, raw part of the project is in the aftermath of the kiss. One of the men, taller than the stranger he was paired with, drapes an arm around her shoulder and leans his head on hers. It’s hard to imagine that this couple is not going to go grab a coffee after the camera shuts down.
Love blooms in the most unexpected of places. It starts with a kiss and who knows where it will lead? A true relationship must stand the test of time, of trial, of strife, and of change. But it’s a nice reminder that it always starts the same: with a kiss.
At Atlanta Jewish & Interfaith Weddings, this is what we do: we celebrate love and commitment. Contact Rabbi Lebow today to schedule your first kiss, as bonded partners.
*Video courtesy of Tatia PIlieva
