Human Touch

“I’m so scared and isolated in the modern world… We all need the human touch. I need it the human touch We all need the human touch. I need it the human touch. We all need it and I need it too”

Now that I have your attention. On my walk yesterday this came up on my playlist. (Don’t judge!). And the chorus just hit me hard. For several reasons.

Earlier this week, I hugged two of my friends. Two friends who also have been vaccinated. Two friends I care about, a lot! And there was hesitation before I did. I actually had to mentally tell myself “it’s ok”.

Yes I have hugged my kids and my wife over this whole pandemic. But not another person. It’s been almost 14 months. 14 months without that kind of interaction with another human being.

Will we need to re-learn some parts of basic human interaction? Will this moment in time change the way we interact with the ones that matter most to us?

The fist bump, the elbow bump, the shaking of hands is good. But “the hug” is the most powerful tool in our communication arsenal. IMO It’s about love, about empathy, it’s about letting someone know you are “in the boat” with them, in all things good and bad. The hug says so much.

This pandemic has changed so much in our cultural and sociological landscape. There are things that won’t go “back to normal”. But showing love has to come back full force. Our world, our divided world needs it so much right now.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10