The Gift of Touch

Matthew 9:21
She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

     Today, as I held my sleeping 1 year old son in my arm (the same way that I used to do when he was 1 month old), I started to smile. It pleased me that although he is much bigger than he was then, he still fits so comfortably in the crook of my elbow. He can still be "my baby." I don't have to turn him completely over to the world of "toddler-hood" quite, yet.

     I cuddled him close to me, and held him there for as long as I could. But all to soon, I had to lay him down, so that I could take care of the next matter of business.

     But it made me think about how important the sensation of touch is in my life. I'm always swooping K2.0 up into my arms and attempting to hug him tightly as he fights to get away holding him close to me. I love to rub my cheek to his cheek, or gently squeeze the excess "baby" chub on his thighs and arms. I enjoy the feeling of his warm breath on my neck, as he snuggles in (which is a decidedly rare occurence these days). I embrace him, and wish that time could stand still while I experience the sensation of his body touching mine. Sometimes, when she's not feeling all "big girl", K will let me hold me, and hug her (although it takes patience on her part, because she's several inches taller than I am, and I tend to pull her down when we hug). She'll let me kiss her soft cheeks, and love her up for a few moments. And when the hubby is home, I like to fall into his chest and rest my head there. I like to try to wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly. Having physical contact with the ones I love makes me feel safe. Warm. Loved.

     I'm from a very touchy-feely family. That's probably because my family is predominantly matriarchal. We're always hugging and kissing each other. The hubby's family isn't like that at all, so sometimes all of my "touchiness" is probably annoying too much for him. But I can't help it.

     During my dating years, after giving goo-gobs of fellas the wrong impression about where things mght be heading, I started making disclaimers to guys. They went something like this: *with a pleasant expression* "Sorry, if it seems like I'm all on you. I'm just a "touchy-feely" person. I really don't mean anything by it." I never thought this was a weird thing to do, because 99% of the time, I was with a cousin of mine, who was the EXACT same way about touching strangers as I was, and she would be giving the guy closest to her THE EXACT SAME SPEECH. Looking back, I wonder what was going through the minds of dudes after they got that speech. Hahahahahahaha!

     Lord, thank you for the gift of touch, and the connection to one another that it allows humans to have. Thank you that touch can be a "love language." Thank you that it can convey love, hope, connection, affinity, sympathy, empathy, safety, well-wishes, friendship, positivity, understanding and bring healing. Thank you Lord, that in your all knowingness, you understood that we would at times on this earth need a way to communicate thoughts and emotions without words...and for that you provided the gift of touch.