exchanging

so i was thinking to myself... as i often do... : ) and i won't bore you with the details of how i got there, but somehow i thought about the phrase "exchanged looks" or "exchanged glances" or anything else like that.  i was reminded of times reading that phrase in books as a kid and always how weird i thought it was!!

BECAUSE to me exchange meant trade, basically.  so i always thought it was weird and confusing as i tried to imagine the characters "exchanging looks"!  i always envisioned them looking at each other with two different looks, then they'd swap (like happy to confused, for example).  i remember reading it over and over in context and trying to "get" why that happened or "what it meant."  i cannot remember any specific book or passage that had it - probably ramona books : )  but i do remember thinking it seemed strange because i didn't think people really "exchanged looks" in real life and what kind of mind powers were they using to change the other person's mind while having theirs simultaneously changed????!!!  they often didn't even say what the looks were that were exchanged!

and then somewhere in there i learned a little more and it wasn't so confusing anymore.... in fact, i exchanged looks with someone yesterday!  : )