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September 16, 2021

From the Moment we’re Born till the Day we Die: We all Need Touch.

 

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An electrifying boom explodes and sends a surge into my veins. The surge jolts throughout my entire body the moment his hand touches my skin.

I had been anticipating his touch from the moment I first laid eyes on him. My body instantly craved his touch when our eyes met. We hadn’t even spoken any words, but my body was screaming for his touch.

I waited months as the relationship escalated.

When he finally touched me, his touch sent warm waves rippling over my skin. The beat of my heart raced to a rhythm I didn’t know.

His touch was soft and gentle. It left me feeling breathless. His touch deepened and my head began to swirl. All because of touch.

Touch is a natural instinct from the time we are born. It’s not something we learn; we just know we need it.

Newborn babies are unsettled until their mothers hold them close. Toddlers give hugs when they are happy. When our children leave us to go out into the world on their own, their last goodbye is a kiss.

We all need touch. Whether it’s to be held, hugged, or kissed, touch is vital to our existence.

A first date usually involves holding hands. It feels personal and shows our feelings of affection toward each other. There is a magical feeling that bubbles inside us moments before our hands touch. The touch is tender and sweet. The touch feels hopeful and exciting.

We embrace our friends. It feels significant and reminds us of the love we share. It’s a feeling that we belong here.

We kiss our lovers. It feels exceptional and confirms the romantic connection we have with one another. Every kiss feels like home.

When we meet a stranger, we shake hands. It feels optimistic with hope of becoming something more than just strangers. It’s the potential for a new friend, a new career, or maybe a new life.

Our bosses slap us on the back for a job well-done. It makes us feel appreciated for our efforts. It fills us with satisfaction.

I love touch. When I talk, I need to touch in some sort of way. It’s a gentle reminder that I’m there. I have always done it. It’s my thing.

It wasn’t until the world shut down that I realized just how important touch was to me. Just how important touch was for everyone. Maybe it was the fact that we couldn’t hug, kiss, or touch anyone for a long period of time that made me crave touch so much more. Not just giving touch, though, but actually feeling touched.

Why is touch so important?

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Touch makes us feel connected. With billions of people in the world, touch provides us with an interconnection to the people in our lives. Some of us have small circles while others are extremely social. But no matter our choice of connection with people in this world, touch brings us that much closer to the people we choose to spend our time with. It creates a special bond with our loved ones.

Touch expresses how we feel. We don’t typically go around touching strangers, or at least most of us don’t. It’s that bro hug, high fives, fist bump, hip check, and shoulder bump. It means you are f*cking important to me.

It’s a way to show the people in our lives that they matter. These are the people we choose to have in our lives. These are the people we love and care about. These are the people who mean everything to us. Our touch shows we understand them. It demonstrates the love we feel for each of them. It reveals our souls to them.

Touch makes us feel alive. It is waking up on a winter morning and feeling the cold hardwood floors against our feet. The feeling of the chilly floor reminds us that we are alive. It’s holding our newborn baby, knowing we brought life into this world. It’s making love with our partner and feeling their heart within each touch and every kiss.

It brings life to the things around us. It’s that old tree in the woods that reaches the sky. If we place our hands on its rigid bark, we can actually feel every storm that has passed by leaving it still standing tall. We can feel the presence of all the people who fell in love under that tree.

And touch feels so damn good. Skin to skin contact is important, not just for physical health but for mental health as well. When our body aches, touch eases the pain away. Touch does the body wonders.

When we feel stressed or pressured, our body releases cortisol. Touch can reduce stress, allowing our immune system to function properly.

It helps us gain perspective on the world around us. If we have a connection with the world, we will participate in the life around us, and not just go through the motions until our dying day, but feel the connection of the world around us. If we touch the world around us, we are making a difference in it.

Without touch, we may feel depressed, anxious, stressed, disconnected, and sleep-deprived.

Our touch can change someone’s life. Just from a touch. We might not know it, but a hug could make a difference in one person who may be feeling disconnected from the world.

If I feel overwhelmed, I walk through my day touching everything in my path. It helps bring me back to the present moment and reminds me of all the beauty in this world.

Touch is comforting, reassuring, and soothing.

Touch is loving, sweet, kind, and gentle.

Touch is breathtaking, erotic, and earth-shattering.

Touching someone in some sort of way is not just giving touch, it’s receiving touch at the same time. It’s a win all around.

The fact is, we all need touch. From the moment we are born until the day we die, touch is what gives us life.

We should be touching the world around us, for our own connection and for the people around us.

To make a difference in the world, let’s touch and be touched. Our lives desperately depend on it.

 

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