A Life's Pursuit: The POWER of Touch

Thursday, June 07, 2007

The POWER of Touch

touch


It is used to communicate and to transfer. Entire conversations of touch can occur in a split second without one uttered word. Everything around us is related by touch in some fashion. I am a hand-washing fanatic. By the time you shake a hand or take your money out, there's no telling what all you have touched. You would probably be terrified to know. Luckily, my last touch was all good. Thanks, Pickle honey! I had a full body massage last night that was great. Good job, Bendy!

The science of touch...Studies have been done with newborn babies; half loved and held, the other neglected other than bare necessities. Babies can thrive without sight, without smell, even without hearing. But they cannot thrive without being touched. You may not be familiar with this next term. I wasn't; only it's symptoms and theories. ...skin hunger... Skin hunger is something that happens to people who have lost loved ones...people with few family or friends...people who are ill or who suffer from poor vision, reduced hearing, or dementia, such as Alzheimer's. People who because of disability and changed circumstances are too discouraged, or are simply unable to reach out for what they need.


So basic a human need is touch that neither children nor adults can live without it. Children who live in abusive homes and who are deprived of touch, have been known to wither and die. The need for touch is real, and persists throughout our lives. Indeed, as we approach old age, touching and being touched takes on added importance; it compensates for the decline in other sensory perceptions, and helps us stay connected with our environment.


Touch tells us we're safe, cared for and have value. People who are sure of a warm embrace are happier, more alert, more willing and able to communicate. ...more...


Touch somebody's life today in a good way. Leave a sensation that will magnify the beautifulness of living and increase.

1 comment:

Bendy said...

It was my pleasure. We do not realize the importance of touch. Visit a nursing home some time and see the reactions you receive from the simple touch of a hand on a shoulder or a grasping of a hand. The elderly are majorly touch deprived.