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Did you know that a person needs at least four hugs a day for healthy survival? Virginia Satir was a pioneering family therapist who is credited with the following quote: “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.”

Sometimes we forget the value of human touch.

On the way home from a conference, Don Piper’s car was crushed by a semi that crossed into his lane.  After 34 surgeries and one year in the hospital Don finally came home. Don says, “When my eight year old son came home from school, without saying a word, Chris would walk over and lay his head on my chest. I don’t know how long his head lay there, probably not more than a full minute. He never said a word. He didn’t need to. That simple gesture was enough. I felt so loved by my son. He expressed his grief in the only way he knew how.”

The power of the human touch is vital. Several sources suggest that most people benefit from a hug. Hugs can help people fight off infections, ease depression and reduce blood pressure.  Start by hugging your children and your spouse.  What a difference you will make in their lives.

Never forget the value of human touch.  Who needs a hug from you today?

Updated 2024