Basic human contact takes you outside of yourself. It’s more comforting than words, and without it we’d die. Literally.
Sometimes its not enough and sometimes its enough – for now.
Contact grounds you. It has the power to bring you back from the edge.
It’s nice to know that a hug not only feels good, but its good for you.
A hug is knows to lower heart rate and blood pressure, decrease stress, reduce anxiety and even strengthen the immune system. Sounds like a win/win to me.
Being hugged by a trusted person, conveys support.
An appropriate form of touch towards a person, such as a handshake, high-five or pat on the back or shoulder, shows cooperation without using words.
“Neuroscientist Edmund Ross [found] that physical touch activates the brain’s orbitfrontal cortex, which is linked to feelings of reward and compassion.”
A sense of safety and trust are triggered by non-sexual physical touch.
Maybe I’m writing this tonight because I am feeling the need of a hug. I was raised in a family that was very affectionate. We were generous with hugs, hand holding, shoulder squeezing, kisses on the cheek and forehead. I was blessed and grew up being affectionate with those that were important to me. Even with acquaintances, I tend to shake hands, high five and pat backs and shoulders. People call me a “touchy person.” I’m hoping that’s meant in a good way.
As a Christian woman, in the work-force, I am very careful not to EVER let my human touch cross any lines. It’s always appropriate and only used in ways to show support and encouragement. As a side note…every person on my team are much younger than me. I could be “mom” to every one of them.
Heaven will be sweet for many reasons. One of those will be we will be able to freely hug both men and women. We won’t have to be “concerned” that someone will get some weird idea in their mind. It will be amazing! If you happen to see someone about 5’2″ blond hair, blue eyes, walking the streets of gold hugging everyone, it’ll probably be me!
Just thinking out loud,
P.
Pam Torres | Author 