in my hands

I have been thinking about the purpose of hands. People don't usually think about them, or at least I don't. But, in pondering my hands, I began to appreciate them very deeply. I did a piece of art about my hands and their meaning. The following is a list of some of the actions that my hands do:

reaching, loving, touching, art-ing, collage-ing, writing, talking, waiting, living, breathing, wishing, washing, helping, grabbing, holding, sensing, grasping, clawing, telling, screaming, tickling, drawing, caressing, letting go, trading, growing, laughing, crying, squeezing, coloring, brushing, pouring, cooking, drying, being in silence, tasting, covering, praying, cupping, alternating, using, believing, hoping, sharing, giving, raging, feeling, calming, enjoying, relishing, curling, dying.

As I did this exercise, I was struck by my own words. Most of the uses seemed familiar- writing, sensing, growing. Others surprised me- raging, clawing, screaming. The piece taught me that just like my hands, I am a complex person with many facets, even those I don't normally recognize.

Take a moment to think about your own hands. How do they serve you each day? How are they an expression of you? Enjoy this process… and remember, it is in your hands.