Touch

My favourite trainer, Fredrick Tucker had a favourite story of an abandoned baby that was wasting away in a hospital… it was not responding to treatment and the doctors were forced to enter its condition as ‘hopeless’ on the examination charts. They had virtually given up hope that the baby would recover.

A doctor, who had uncommon success in dealing with sick children, was called in as a last resort. He instructed to dress up the baby in nice clothes and put it in a cradle next to the hospital entrance. He asked for a large sign requesting passerby’s to hold the baby and play with it for a few minutes before moving on.

The method was ancient, but very effective. The baby turned healthy as visitors began to speak to and fondle the baby. The positive strokes of touch and the words of love was the balm that healed and transformed the life of that little baby that was suffering from a lack of touch and positive strokes.

Touch is a primal need, as necessary for growth as food, clothing or shelter. From the nuzzles and the caresses between mother and infant that form the foundation of the self, to the holding of hands between a son and his dying father that allows a final letting go, touch is our most intimate and powerful form of love.

However, touch is not just about physicality. It is about all strokes that come from our body language to the tone we use and the spoken words. Words of encouragement or a smile of approval are equal to an appreciative pat on the back. We can touch the inner core in various ways to encourage, motivate, support or just convey love.

Touch through strokes, fulfill the need

Not just physical, use word and deed!

~ Pravin K Sabnis