The shape of the human hand is a long standing symbol in folk art, and in quilting. The hand reminds us of generosity, as in “extending the hand of kindness.” Upright hands, pressed together in prayer, are a symbol of deference, respect, and devotion to a higher being. The handshake is all important. Politicians shake a lot of hands, but these days, if anyone else has noticed, some of them tote along instant hand sanitizing lotion.
I entitled this mini-essay, “The Human Touch,” inasmuch as I want to share a short but meaningful poem by the same name, written by Spencer Michael Free:
Tis the human touch in this world that counts,
The touch of your hand and mine,
Which means far more to the fainting heart
Than shelter and bread and wine;
For shelter is gone when the night is o’er,
And bread lasts only a day,
But the touch of the hand and the sound of the voice
Sing on in the soul alway.
I hope you find the poem to be as inspiring as I do. This week, try reaching out to someone who just might be surprised by your kindness. If nothing else, you may just receive some unexpectedly good feelings, and you will also have made someone else feel special. We live in an impersonal world. We need to make it less so, by using our abilities to reach out to others.
Patricia
I REALLY like the sentiment of that poem — quite lovely!