I had not slept with many men other than my husband, but I noticed before that to sleep, actually sleep with someone did give this sense of intimacy, as though your dreams had flowed out of you to mingle with his and fold you both in a blanket of unconsciousness knowing. A throwback of some kind, I thought. In older, more primitive times, it was an act of trust to sleep in the presence of another person. If the trust was mutual, simple sleep could bring you closer together than the joining of bodies.
The quote reflects on the deep sense of intimacy experienced in sleep, suggesting that sharing dreams with another person fosters a profound connection. The author notes that even limited experiences with other partners lead to an awareness of how trust is inherently tied to the act of sleeping next to someone. It's portrayed as a significant emotional bond that transcends physical intimacy.
The reference to older, more primitive times emphasizes that sleeping in someone's presence was once an important act of trust. In this light, simple sleep is seen as a powerful means of closeness, potentially even more significant than physical relationships, highlighting the emotional and psychological aspects of human connection.