85 – Hands *

Special thanks to Fraggle for providing the photos. Fraggle is in the UK and I encourage readers to visit her photography blog Fraggle: Rocking a camera across the universe. Please tell her I sent you and feel free to comment on her images here. All images are copyrighted by Fraggle and Fragglerocking Photo Blog.

On a personal note, life has gotten in the way of me visiting others the past two weeks. Thank you for your loyalty and patience. My apologies because I like to reciprocate. Maybe this is a sign I need a blog break. Hmmmmm …..

Click the video above for 2 minutes of background waves while reading.

I like to walk on the beach. It is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on the feet.

Some of the people I pass are holding something in their hands: a phone, shoes, jacket, bottle, or a bag. However, most are not, so their arms are casually swinging to and fro to help their body maintain balance.

I pass fishermen using their hands to hold poles, bait hooks, unhook fish, or cast a line. Others are sitting in a chair holding a can, book, or electronic reader – but all are aware of their collection of hooks at sea.

I think about a hand with a palm, heel, and digits called fingers and a thumb that connect to the lower arm by a collaborative effort of eight wrist bones. A human hand is composed of five hand bones and 14 bones in the digits.

I think about the things we do with hands – grip, grasp, grab, handle, manipulate, fix, tie, push, pull, pick, point, carry, bury, peel, wash, play, eat, and hold. We squish and squash, tickle and scratch, slap and clap, pat and pet, lift and place, rub and wring, mold and shape, write and type, and more.

I want to add fiddle and faddle, plus snap, crackle, and pop, but not all of these descriptors fit. Yes, I am guilty of gesturing with my hands as I talk but, hands are also a connection point between two ballroom dancers serving as a silent line of communication.

Hands lead the way for providing special gifts from the painter, sculptor, knitter, woodworkers, sower, tailor, seamstress, and candlemaker. The same is true for bakers, chefs, musicians, farmers, and more.

I admire the potter who transforms clay from the ground into an artistic piece for others to enjoy. Then there are the gardeners – those who use their hands to work the soil to provide the beauty of flowers and the bounties of fresh food and ingredients.

I think about how plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and mechanics use their gifts to provide services, yet all of us have hands for helping others in some way. Cheers to the many volunteers who use their hands for helping others in whatever way they can.

I think about clasping hands for gathering water to drink or refresh a face – to receive a special piece of bread – to accentuate a voice to be heard – or gently folded together.

Hands signify a strong work ethic and a yearning to learn. I think about the millions of immigrants who moved to another land seeking a new life – and their hands led the way.

As the tips of our fingers are sensitive areas for the sense of touch, I find it interesting how those same fingers serve as a sense of sight for the blind, while the entire hand can speak a language for the hearing impaired.

The hands are home to only a few muscles, so they easily get cold – and keeping fingers warm is more difficult. Yes, I prefer mittens over gloves on the coldest days at home.

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Hands for grasping at straws, holding on to wants, and reaching for wants, goals, or even something unattainable. Hands for passing a baton, handing on a silver platter, but by show of hands, who would eat out of someone’s dishpan hands?

From the hands of lovers holding to fighters shaking hands before they start swinging, hands have many ways of defining who we are. Hands show emotions by waving, clenching them into a fist to shake, punch, pound on a table, or use fingers to deliver a message.

Hands define who we are because one can have blood on their hands, hand over the reins, or fit like a hand and glove. Sometimes we want to cash in a hand but, someone can catch our hands in the cookie jar. We clench our hands into a fist or rule with an iron hand and maybe with a velvet glove.

While we have hot hands, hands full, free, tied, heavy, and even jazzy, hands can also hand in, handoff, hand down, hand out, hand over, hands up, but can be hands-on. While I don’t claim to have the upper hand, the person who dealt Wild Bill Hickok the Dead Man’s Hand is buried near my Ohio home.

Seeing the sea birds reminds me to think about the animals of the sea and land because they are other organisms with adapted hands of longer fingers or longer palms. Yes, adaptations for special reasons – some even as pinches, paws, flippers, fins, or wings – let alone adaptive feet serving as hands

If you think about it, there is a lot to say about hands – plus hands have much to say about us. While you may be thinking there is more to say about fingers, you are correct because they will have their own walk. Let us not forget this important thought: Hands – touching hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you. I continue to enjoy walking on the beach because it is good for the mind, body, and soul – and refreshing on my feet.

See what other bloggers have written about hands

• My Hands (a poem by a reader here)
• Hands (a collection of images and a poem)
• My Hands, Your Hands (a poem)
• Hand of Glory (a poem, read or audio)
• Hands and Feet for Friendly Friday (photo collection)

Next Post: Friends ? – Saturday 19 June TUESDAY 22 JUNE @ 1 AM (Eastern US)

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