This great line made me think about how much our lives have changed this year. “Holding hands” in today’s virus filled world is what we’re not supposed to do, at least not with anyone who hasn’t doused themselves in disinfectant. So, does it matter?

Human Touch

There have been many studies on the importance of touch for infants, how skin to skin contact regulates heart rate, temperature, breathing and even helps them to cry less. That makes sense, but just how powerful is touch? Science looks in some unusual places to answer that question. For example, could touch affect athletic performance?

Two psychologists who studied basketball teams concluded that players who “touched” more, played better individually and as a team. A pat on the back, a hug, even a flying shoulder bump—all these physical touches can trigger the chemical release of oxytocin, a chemical in the brain that induces trust.  So, yeah, human touch is powerful stuff.

Not only can’t we hug, shake hands, or comfort a high risk loved one with a touch on the arm, we wear masks in public, so we’ve also lost our smiles.

Smiling Eyes

My suggestion? Amp up our verbal and non-verbal communication—let your eye contact, posture, hand gestures and tone of voice let people know you care. I smile under my mask, at the grocery store, when I pick up restaurant take out, at the gas station, but does anyone know that I’m smiling? Only if it’s an enormous smile, because then my eyes open wide, my eyebrows lift, and my cheeks push up above my mask.

The other day at Publix, I realized I need to do more of that. I need to make sure my eyes, voice and body match my smile under the mask that no one can see. Otherwise, our wonderful essential workers might think I’m taking them for granted. In my effort to radiate positivity and appreciation, I may look or sound a little crazy, but I hope the strangers I encounter see I care. 

Full Body Smile

I thought about all of this on my morning bike  ride yesterday. As I shared the bike path with walkers, runners and other bicyclists, all of us unmasked, it was interesting to note the many ways people acknowledged me. Nods, thin-lipped smiles, raised eyebrows, waves, wide smiles, mumbles of “good morning”—but one woman on a bike leaned her whole body into her greeting to me. I didn’t even notice her smile. Her cheery “good morning” and bright open eyes helped me finish the end of my ride; her enthusiasm hit me like electricity. 

Since we can’t hold hands to solve all our problems and we can’t share a smile with a stranger, we should smile with our entire body; the world needs all the full body smiles it can get.

Thanks, Ann Napolitano – this is one great line.

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