The door through darkness is human touch

Renee Hixson touched the innermost core of my inner being when he said, “The door through darkness is human touch. We do not need to see the light if we can hold a hand. A hug speaks languages that have no letters and need no translators. A gentle embrace can acknowledge sorrows too deep to speak aloud. When loneliness builds an island far away from hope it is not a land alone. The touch of one caring soul can build a bridge of hope, healing and a sense of belonging. We need not be eloquent or brilliant or even totally whole. We just need to care enough to reach out and touch another soul.”(Chicken Soup For the Recovering Soul, Daily Inspirations)

I am reminded of a story about a boy who was hungry for love and care. His parents abused him physically and verbally. His classmates bullied him. He felt unloved and unwanted. With all these tragic incidents in his life, however, a warm and a caring soul inspired him to reach his dream – his teacher.

His teacher always told him, “You are a special person. You are a child of the universe. Fly high and reach your dream.” This powerful and caring message was for him the wind beneath his wings. He was able to finish college despite the odds.

The “ wikiHow website” has this to say, “Being caring allows you to have empathy for others and to live a life based on affection, love, and compassion. It can be tempting to fall into a life of selfishness and to focus only on your own goals and desires, but your days will be more rewarding if you think about what the people in your life are thinking and feeling.”

If you want to know how to be more caring, our source cites the following tips:

•Be polite. You may not think that being polite has much to do with being caring. Being polite will make you a more caring person who is determined to treat the people around him or her with respect. Being polite means having good manners, not being overly vulgar or rude in front of people, holding doors for people, and asking people about their day. It also means smiling at people, having common courtesy, and not getting in another person’s way.

•Be affectionate. People who are caring give affection to the people they love and care about.  Hugs can be powerful and can bring comfort to people in need. Actions really can speak louder than words sometimes.

•Listen to people. People who are caring take the time to listen to others. They don’t spend all day talking about themselves because they are genuinely interested in what other people say. When someone is talking to you, make eye contact, put away your phone or other distractions, and don’t interrupt the person.

•Be generous. Being generous, whether it’s with your time or money, can go a long way in being a more caring person. Being generous with your time is important. Though you don’t want to sacrifice all of your “time” for the sake of someone else, make a habit of taking the time to listen to a friend or a loved one in need.

As Stephen Covey said, “To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on a holy ground.”

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