COVID-19 Friday Five: Sometimes When we Touch

Chester and me

Touch is natural. It is healing. It is how we calm, reassure and express our affection. For the people who like to hug, this has been a tough few months. Even for those who don't, we have had to modify our behaviour and attempt to alter our instincts. Thank goodness we are still allowed to pet animals and cuddle the cat.

A couple of weeks ago I was out walking when I came across a woman who had sprained her ankle. Others were with her, assisting, and we stopped to check she was okay. Someone was crouching beside her, placing their arm around her shoulders in a universal gesture of support.  She and her walking companion had a phone between them them and they were able to call for help.

The first responder on the phone was asking lots of questions and giving medical advice (they were on speaker-phone so we could all hear) and at the end of the call the person stated that they had to ask some COVID-19 questions and began to ask whether the patient had recently been overseas or come into contact with anyone who had, or had symptoms or had been in contact with anyone who had symptoms. 

At that moment, the assistant looked shocked - "I hadn't even thought of that" he said. Of course not, because as a decent human being, our first reaction when we come across an injured person (or animal) is to help. And that help often expresses itself through contact. It's who we are. And, while the current medical guidelines suggest that we don't for our own health, it is really difficult to overcome that instinct. 

Physical proximity of the kind about which we are now warned, also indicated trust. Some sources suggest that the history of the handshake dates back to the 5th century B.C. in Greece, and was a symbol of peace, showing that neither person was carrying a weapon. Similarly, one of the theories about why we clink glasses before drinking is also about trust and intimacy. Back in the days when poisoning a foe's drink was a convenient way to kill him off, it was believed that if glasses were filled to the brim and clinked hard, a bit of liquid from each glass would slop into the other. Mixing drinks and then taking a sip was, therefore, a gesture that you trusted your drinking partner (at least not to murder you). 

Whereas these are extreme measures, it would be a shame if our lack of touch led to a lack of trust. These times make me really conscious of the physicality of our communications.

5 Touch-related common expressions:

1. Get in touch/ keep in touch/ lose touch
2. Lend a (helping) hand
3. Welcome with open arms
4. Reach out 
5. Give a hand up/ hand out

And this is my performance of Mrs Midas by Carol Ann Duffy; a poem that explores the effect of the tactile. Enjoy!