Power of Touch
David was a perfect child. Just ask his mother. “If you have a perfect child,” she once said, “then you have a problem child.” It could be from his understanding of his senses. Specifically, his sense of touch.
Studies have shown that a deaf or blind person’s other sense are not enhanced. Still, those other senses become more vital in understanding the world around them. While a person with all five senses uses them collectively and simultaneously. Such as a person sees the dog and pets it knows that there exist a dog. The person might hear the dog pant, or if the dog is wet, may even notice the odor -- all the senses at this person’s disposal, as well as their choosing which sense to use. With David, he relied the most on his sense of sight and touch.
Studies have shown that a deaf or blind person’s other sense are not enhanced. Still, those other senses become more vital in understanding the world around them. While a person with all five senses uses them collectively and simultaneously. Such as a person sees the dog and pets it knows that there exist a dog. The person might hear the dog pant, or if the dog is wet, may even notice the odor -- all the senses at this person’s disposal, as well as their choosing which sense to use. With David, he relied the most on his sense of sight and touch.
Communication comes generally from verbal, written word, and body language. Touch is the least used as communication. Nevertheless, touch is one of the first forms of communication between a mother and her newborn baby. Greeting a person with both hands grasp when shaking hands expresses a joyous welcoming, and a hand on someone’s shoulder who is in pain expresses compassion. These are some way of communication by touch.
Touch acknowledges both a shared humanness and our individual worth. The truth is, touch is necessary for survival. Research demonstrates that without it, a baby’s growth is stunted. Psychiatrist René Spitz’s study in 1946 showed that babies in orphanages that lacked touch died prematurely. H.F. Harlow’s experiments with baby monkeys proved that lack of touch led to anxiety, depression, and anti-social behavior.
Laying on of Hands has been used throughout history in ways of passing on ritual rights, such as blessing or anointing a leader. Religion uses laying on of hands in consecration and ordination of their clergy. It has also been used to heal. Jesus laid hands on those to be healed. Even though a leprous man was considered to be unclean, Jesus stretched forth His hand in love and touched the leper. The leper called out to Jesus in faith, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." Jesus said, "I will, be clean." The leper was healed immediately. Jesus touched blind eyes and they saw, He touched ears and they heard.
Touch acknowledges both a shared humanness and our individual worth. The truth is, touch is necessary for survival. Research demonstrates that without it, a baby’s growth is stunted. Psychiatrist René Spitz’s study in 1946 showed that babies in orphanages that lacked touch died prematurely. H.F. Harlow’s experiments with baby monkeys proved that lack of touch led to anxiety, depression, and anti-social behavior.
Laying on of Hands has been used throughout history in ways of passing on ritual rights, such as blessing or anointing a leader. Religion uses laying on of hands in consecration and ordination of their clergy. It has also been used to heal. Jesus laid hands on those to be healed. Even though a leprous man was considered to be unclean, Jesus stretched forth His hand in love and touched the leper. The leper called out to Jesus in faith, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." Jesus said, "I will, be clean." The leper was healed immediately. Jesus touched blind eyes and they saw, He touched ears and they heard.
Scottish researchers found no effect in healing of its study’s patients with asthma when lying of hands and other non-medical healings were used. Yet, other research shows the opposite. One report told that touch does trigger endorphins in the brain -- an endogenous analgesic more powerful than heroin or morphine. A study showed that blood pressure drops when their test subjects petted and held a cat or dog – thus the creation of Pet Therapy. Another study’s results showed those in church communities that laid hands on an ailing person had a faster healing average than the national average.
David’s family is a hugging and kissing family. His family’s custom was to hug and kiss on the cheek when greeting or parting. David’s father’s childhood was unloving, and full of anger and hate. He was not going to have that type of childhood for his children. “My children will know that they are loved and wanted,” he said when telling about his childhood.
David’s family is a hugging and kissing family. His family’s custom was to hug and kiss on the cheek when greeting or parting. David’s father’s childhood was unloving, and full of anger and hate. He was not going to have that type of childhood for his children. “My children will know that they are loved and wanted,” he said when telling about his childhood.
One time, David was running late for high school. David’s father drove him to his school in order to be there on time. “Give me a kiss and hug to say ‘Goodbye,’” said David’s father as they pulled in front of the school. David saw his classmates walking towards them.
“Oh no,” David thought to himself. “If I hurry, maybe they won’t see me hugging and kissing my father.” David gave a quick kiss and hugs to his father and said, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” David’s father exclaimed.
“Thanks for the ride,” said David as he headed out the car. David turned and walked hasty towards the school’s door hoping that his classmates behind him did not see him. “If they did see me get out of the car,” David reflected, “maybe the sun hit the car’s windshield making it like a mirror reflecting the outside street, and they couldn’t see me inside the car.”
“Was that your father?” one of David’s classmates asked from behind.
“Here comes the taunting,” David said to himself. “What will it be: ‘David is a baby who has to kiss his old man!’ Or,’ Davie loves his daddy!’” David stopped, turned to his classmates and answered, “Yes. That was my Dad.”
“Oh no,” David thought to himself. “If I hurry, maybe they won’t see me hugging and kissing my father.” David gave a quick kiss and hugs to his father and said, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” David’s father exclaimed.
“Thanks for the ride,” said David as he headed out the car. David turned and walked hasty towards the school’s door hoping that his classmates behind him did not see him. “If they did see me get out of the car,” David reflected, “maybe the sun hit the car’s windshield making it like a mirror reflecting the outside street, and they couldn’t see me inside the car.”
“Was that your father?” one of David’s classmates asked from behind.
“Here comes the taunting,” David said to himself. “What will it be: ‘David is a baby who has to kiss his old man!’ Or,’ Davie loves his daddy!’” David stopped, turned to his classmates and answered, “Yes. That was my Dad.”
“God, David!" There was a long pause. "You’re lucky. I wish my Dad did that.”
Another classmate added, “My Dad stop hugging me when I was in fourth grade.”
And another chimed in, “The only time my Dad touches me is to punches me in the arm.”
“Is this an after-school special on TV,” David asked?
They laughed.
Then his classmate who asked the question if that was his father said, “You are lucky, David. This is real.” He put his hand on David’s shoulder. “You don’t know how fortunate you are to have a father that isn’t afraid to show that he still cares.”
It was then that David comprehended his father as an exceptional man. David knew that his parent’s hugs amplified his sense of safety and security. His parent’s kisses, did in fact, make his boo-boos feel better. That moment with his classmates, David acknowledged his family’s traditions, and their proof that hugs and kisses heals not only physically, but also spiritual, by affirming our need for belonging and acceptance. That moment David discovered: Don’t be embarrassed about seeking life-giving touch.
There is more to hugs and touch than just release of endorphins.
Another classmate added, “My Dad stop hugging me when I was in fourth grade.”
And another chimed in, “The only time my Dad touches me is to punches me in the arm.”
“Is this an after-school special on TV,” David asked?
They laughed.
Then his classmate who asked the question if that was his father said, “You are lucky, David. This is real.” He put his hand on David’s shoulder. “You don’t know how fortunate you are to have a father that isn’t afraid to show that he still cares.”
It was then that David comprehended his father as an exceptional man. David knew that his parent’s hugs amplified his sense of safety and security. His parent’s kisses, did in fact, make his boo-boos feel better. That moment with his classmates, David acknowledged his family’s traditions, and their proof that hugs and kisses heals not only physically, but also spiritual, by affirming our need for belonging and acceptance. That moment David discovered: Don’t be embarrassed about seeking life-giving touch.
There is more to hugs and touch than just release of endorphins.
Another example of touch: Emirates' men touch their noses to each other as a traditional greetings after they performed the Eid al-Fitr prayers at Grand Musalla in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.