On a day when many of us will be sharing hugs or exchanging handshakes, I'm reminded of the healing powers of touch.
There's an article today in a local newspaper about how babies who are held have a faster path to health.
It quotes a study published in Journal of Pediatric Psychology in 2003 that showed that preterm infants who were held and stroked gained weight faster and slept better.
A 1975 Child Psychiatry and Human Development study found that premature babies who received extra stroking for 10 days were more alert.
There is even a study out of the University of Rochester that is examining how just the right touch among blood cells can mean the difference between good health and chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Do you think touch has healing abilities? Have you experienced an occasion where you felt moved (either positively or negatively) by someone who physically touched you?