A HIDDEN POWER

» Posted on Jul 1, 2014

B I’m a toucher, a hugger~~sometimes I get surprise, sometimes it bridges a gap and smooth’s an awkward moment ,sometimes a hug works when words won’t , sometimes the person turns away~~sometimes there is hesitation, then thankfulness for close , human contact~~
The V.A. is all about privacy and respect~~most important~I keep my distance, that’s how it should be~~~perhaps~~~My boys have shown me that the “tactile sensation” , of burying one’s hands into a full ruff, brings a feeling of safety, of peace~~but never had I considered the power of the human touch in this situation.
This past Tuesday, Cody loved, preened, stuck his nose in for a pat, loved the idea that He was being loved~~then, I reached out, no idea why, except that I had done this before in different situations at some of the nursing homes I visit~~granted, different situations~~Several times, “C” also reached out to Vets~~the human contact, the warmth, the men responded~~We held a hand, We talked softly, maybe not the way the books tell us, but we reached out, we connected~~And I think we made an impression~~