Beauty of Touch

I have been thinking recently about the beauty of the sense of touch. Actually, this is something I think about a lot, but more frequently these days. I was thinking what a wonderful language of love it is and how wise God is to have created us with an ability to know things through that sense.

I watch my beautiful daughter and see her know her world through her senses. When she was newly mobile touching things seemed like something novel, she did it simply because she could. Now it is more purposeful. Sometimes when she is nursing, she will reach up and gently stroke my face, point to my eyes or run her fingers through my hair. The other night we were dancing around the living room, her little head resting on my shoulder and I could feel her tiny hands rubbing my back and playing with my hair.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I love watching her develop and fine tune the ability to express her love and affection through touch. Not only is she expressing her little love, but she is trying to know this person she calls "Mama." She is learning so much about communication. She is making me acutely aware of how often I hug and kiss on her because I realize that she is understanding what those touches mean.

I wonder what it must have been like for Our Lady to have been touched lovingly by the hands of the Child Jesus. I cannot even fathom what must have gone through her heart as Jesus maybe twirled her hair as He was falling asleep, or the first time He purposefully wrapped His little arms about her neck, or maybe clumsily planted a tiny kiss on her lips. Did she know that as Man he was trying to learn about His mother and as God, He had known her from all Eternity? What a wonder to imagine the God-Man who had created man with the gift of touch, using the gift of touch Himself in order to make a tangible connection with His world!