Our Feelings Of Connection, Of Empathy, Of Trust

 As I watched this BBC video regarding the question, "What happens to humans when we can't touch?" I noticed the above titled words in the video. The results of not being able to touch another human being, i.e. hugging, will slowly degrade our connection with other people, our empathy toward other people, and  our lack of trust toward other people. These slowly vanishing traits are exactly what our society is experiencing because of social distancing rules. 

The above video also points out that if we deprive an animal's ability to touch, they literally become sick, in the mind (caused by anxiety), their lifespan is reduced, and they become less healthy (see article).

In this BBC article entitled, "Are we in the midst of a touch crisis?".....the point is brought out that "For those who like touch, their well-being levels were higher if they had been touched recently." The sad results of the COVID-19 lockdowns regarding families is that [quote]: "While you might expect families who spent a lot of time together in lockdown (see article) to have more opportunity than usual to comfort each other physically, Field found that only a fifth of parents said they were hugging, holding and kissing their children more."

Beloved, the bottom line is this: God created human beings — not to be socially distanced, but to be gregarious people. Our society's lack of connection with other people, is causing a lack of empathy and trust. Without these characteristics, the saving gospel of Christ becomes more difficult to promote in a world filled with hatred and distrust.

Let's seriously "think" about the above thoughts and then become a more gregarious people by getting out of our houses and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

---Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets