Human Touch

[Certain Hope]

This is from one of the messages that comes to my email daily. It touched my heart, so I wanted to share with you all....

HUMAN TOUCH HAS A powerful ability to calm and comfort.  A California Ophthalmologist has added what he considers a significant new advancement to routine eye surgery.  He has asked Margaret Pickford to hold his patients' hands during their operations.

In the eye surgery, a local anesthetic is used, so patients are conscious.  This procedure can be very frightening because they can't see and are not supposed to either move or talk.  Having a hand to hold relaxes them.  It also lowers their blood pressure and heart rate.

"Some people," Margaret explains, "particularly men, don't want the support at first.  But they usually end up squeezing so tightly I think my hand's going to come off at the wrist!  Doctors may be experts in their fields, but they haven't had the surgery.  That's where I have the expertise."

Margaret, a retired schoolteacher, has had cataract surgery.  And she has held the hands of about two thousand patients.  The doctor says he rarely operates on anyone without Margaret. She isn't paid for her contribution--she explains that she is doing her part to "keep medical costs down."

- Point To Ponder -
Human touch is so important that it can be a matter of life and death to infants. Babies die unless arms embrace them and hands caress them. Our busy, high-tech world sometimes removes opportunities for tenderness and nonsexual affection, and we have to make an extra effort to demonstrate our caring. Although we are to turn to God with our needs, God has not chosen to be physically present in the world at this time. And when we need to experience the love of God "with skin on," we have to rely on each other to provide the warmth, gentleness, and nurturing human beings so desperately need.

  Hope

[Sela]

Hi CH:

What a nice lady Margaret is!  Wow!  2000 hands!  That's amazing!

Is this touching.....affection?  As you say:

warmth, gentleness, and nurturing

I think touching is.  I think Margaret is showing a tender feeling toward the patients by holding their hand in their time of need.  She's trying to provide warmth and gently nurturing them.  Very cool. 

Some people seem to abhor touching though eh?  They pull away or almost cringe.  Not sure if that is a sign of damage (effects of past events) or just a trait/choice ??    I'm not sure.

we have to make an extra effort to demonstrate our caring.

For sure.  It seems our world is less "touchy-feely" (as Archie Bunker might say) these days.  I know a man who is a bit paranoid about even hugging his nefew, for fear of some future sexual accusation being made.  That is so sad, that he fears hugging his sister's child, who he says he feels great affection for. 

we have to rely on each other

Got me thinking back to the woman I saw sitting on the sidewalk, eating out of garbage bags late at night, in the city street.

I'm a very affectionate person and sometimes I think I invade people's space when I touch their shoulder or whatnot.  I've seen some people withdraw as if they've been burned (and I felt like such a dope.... too).  But would I hug that lady on the sidewalk?  She looked filthy!  I bet she smelled!  I have to admit....it would be tough for me.  And I call myself a Christian ( ).

So who gives people like that the warmth and gentle nurturing they need?  Maybe other street people?  Better Chrstians than me?  I hope so. 

Anyway, I liked your post.  Thanks for sharing!  I admire Margaret for her generous giving and simple kindness.

  Sela

[pennyplant]

When I was 16 I spent a month in Germany as part of a sister city exchange program.  We knew ahead of time that Germans always shook hands upon meeting someone so we were prepared for that.  We learned once there that friends held hands with each other even up through high school age.  That was something that I hadn't done since maybe second grade.  And my parents didn't hold my hand either much past that age.

So, once in Germany, we agreed that we would follow the custom of holding hands with our friends while we were there and just not do that or mention it once back in America.  And that was what we did.  It felt good to be able to have that physical connection for a time.  I missed it when it was gone.  I still like shaking hands when meeting someone, though I don't always do it.  I wish we could have the custom of adult friends holding hands or linking arms without the idea that it is sexual in some way and therefore something that shouldn't be done.  Very occasionally I will see mothers and adult daughters walking with arms linked and it seems nice for them to do that.  It reminds me of that time in Germany and it makes me wonder how particular families think to have that habit when it is not particularly widespread here in the U.S.

Pennyplant

[Hopalong]

I remember having my hand held in France by friend, 19, when I was 17.
She did it so naturally and it made me feel very happy.

Americans started with the Puritans, and the lid was screwed on so tight that when it popped off, out came Britney et al.

Hops