I recently watched a mother and child in distress. Strangers to me. His mother, frazzled by his distress, did not know what to do. So I approached them and asked her if I could hold his hand. She agreed in exasperation. I got down to his level and then asked the little boy if he would feel better if someone held his hand. He said yes. So I held his little hand with bitten down finger nails, until his sobs subsided and then asked him whether he would feel even better if mum gave him a hug. He nodded silently. They reached out to each other, and held on for the longest time. I could see him smile through her windswept hair and she smiled at me through tears. Sniffles all round and a quick nose wipe, and everyone was good to go. I left them and went about my business, the memory of our interaction still fresh in my mind and perhaps, in my eyes, too.
I share this with you for a reason.
Last night I watched the news. They are introducing robot nurses in some clinical settings. Really!
There is nothing that can replace the touch of a human hand! I was raised to know this from infancy. I recall babies in India being massaged to within an inch of their life every day with coconut oil “to make them stronger”. (We now know the science behind this relates to the release of oxytocin).
I did the same with my children and as they grew older, they loved a foot massage. We are a family that hugs. Touch is important to us. Our pets know this too. You should see Kovu’s tail wag whenever we reach down to pat him.
Even he knows the value of human touch.
Following my accident, during my numerous hospital stays, it was always the touch of a nurse’s hand that made me feel I was on the road to recovery. So don’t get me started on robots!
Until next time
As always
a dawn bird
A Shared Space 
Wonderful story that you shared. . We all know state of mind helps with healing, and only the interactions with caring people will help with that. How sad putting the dollar before humanity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Glad I shared it! I agree, human touch and interaction is vital on so many levels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved reading this – beautiful! … what the world really needs these days are more hugs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Yes, I agree. I coined a phrase that I used when justifying my vast library of 3000 books “books are like hugs, you can’t have too many!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Books are great to have (at least until you have to move house 😉 ).
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s when I found out I had 3000 books! The process of elimination was, and continues to be, an agonising one.
LikeLike
Other than my garden reference books (and even those now that we have the internet), I realized I was unlikely to read again. We are blessed to have a great inter-library loan system, so practically any book I want, I can borrow. It really makes the load lighter!
We were motivated by our age, too, we don’t want to leave this mess for our kids to deal with!
LikeLiked by 1 person
How similiar we book folks are! I started culling my library when my children stated they would have the biggest bonfire when I’m gone!
LikeLike
Ha! Talk about motivation!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a kind heart you have. There is nothing like personal interaction and the kindness of others to calm the heart. Replacing humans with robots does seem cruel for people who are already vulnerable.
I’m haunted by my own hospital experiences as a child. I often spent months in hospital and my own recollection of 40 something years ago were that some nurses were gentle and lovely, but others were gruff and distant and you saw them rarely. I was often left to my own devices. My mother lived hours from the hospital and wasn’t able to visit me every day. It was terribly damaging. Thank goodness for books. As I grew older, and thankfully hospitalisations became fewer, it was rare that nurses had time to spend more than a few minutes with their patients. I can’t bear thinking about it really.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some things touch me and I feel compelled to act.
That must have been hard on you! The tyranny of distance in this country for a small child must have been awful. Yes, time and touch, both important and memorable for the quality.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor people all you need is that human touch of kindness. Still enjoying your blog Dawn. I have just had a knee reconstruction, felt like like Steven King must have felt after he got hit by a truck. It made him write a brillant book on writing how to write. Has made me get back into thinking about putting together my work. I did a performance of my poem Confidence at Kellerberrian , to a group of Uniting Church people called art and spirituality. The audience reminded me of old intellectual hippies. Most where Rev in the church, very open minded.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to hear from you Claudette. Hope you are mending well! Thank you for visiting! I think you should include video of yourself performing your ‘yarns’ when you develop your blog! You are amazing!
LikeLike