To be Held

The importance of touch and human to human contact is not to be underestimated. Research shows that newborns who do not get enough touch have social, emotional and even learning problems in the future. I found a great article that stresses the importance of touch from an adult standpoint.

Don't Underestimate the Importance of Touch

Have you ever gone days on end without human to human touch? Something dark and unhealthy begins to happen- anxiety levels increase, stress levels rise and self-esteem plummets. God intended for us to love one another, and that love extends to touch. Today marks 31 days without real human to human touch for me, and I am starting to feel the side effects. Who knew that just a hug, a squeeze of the hand or just a brush of the arm would make such a difference. I thank God for Kenzie's amazing sweet hugs and kisses, and I know I would be in a much darker place without them. But nothing compares to a big bear hug from a loved one. I began to search the Bible to find what God says about touch, and what it means to be Held. In my search, I came across a beautiful and moving song. It speaks volumes to my heart, and I hope it touches yours as well (pun intended!). The song writer wrote this song after researching child trafficking in the United States and found herself searching for God's meaning behind allowing bad things to happen to good people.

My favorite part of the song:

If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our Savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

So, hug a loved one. You are fortunate enough to have him/her nearby enough to touch.