Big or small, hands do so much every day. They can hurt, heal, and communicate. And yet,they are the most unappreciated body part. They sit at the end of our arms and do things, but we never take a moment to realize all they do. They have the power to take life and create objects, but no one notices how much they do.
Hands can influence the world. A hand of a faithful citizen makes a vote for who will represent an entire population. A hand of a giver gives food to the hungry and money to the poor. The hands of a volunteer group build a home for the homeless or a school for those in need of education. A hand that belongs to a caregiver of a disabled veteran writes a letter to Congress to encourage them to pass legislation protecting education for veterans returning from war. The hand of a government official passes a new law to crack down on lax environmental practices by companies. The hands of an author crafts a bestselling book that sheds light on the stories of those who do not have a voice.
Hands can heal. The hands of a doctor observe an elderly man to track the patient’s cancer diagnosis. A nurse distributes medication to an ill child. A hand of a close friend rubs the back of the daughter who just lost her mother to breast cancer. The hand of a musician strums a guitar to spread the joy and healing of music to the brokenhearted. The hand of a missionary gives life-saving medicine and vaccinations to children in a developing country.
Hands can create. The hands of an artist sculpts a masterpiece out of clay. The hands of the musician pound the piano keyboard, making a new song. The hands of a team of engineers make a new bridge across a river, making commute time faster for thousands of people. The hands of employees of a publishing company puts out a one-year planner to help keep users organized, focused, and relaxed.
Hands can communicate. The hand of a journalist writes a piece about inequality in a community, sparking a change. The hands of a loved one uses sign language to interpret a speech for a young adult who was born deaf. A teenager’s hand writes a letter to the principal of his school, defending his innocence in an incident he was not a part of.
Hands can kill. A hand pulls the trigger of a gun pointing at a 3-year-old girl. The hands of religious leaders, in the form of fists, beats up a gay man until he breaths his last breath. A shaky hand of a surgeon slips and makes a fatal mistake. A terrorist’s hand drops the backpack at the finish line, killing 3. A hand pulls the rope, murdering the murderer.
Hands can destroy. A hand is raised to his mouth, bringing a cigarette close, and cancer closer. Her hands flail wildly in anger, breaking anything in her path. A hand tears up the homework of a daughter that is only worth an A-. Her fingers type a message of untruth about the quiet girl, causing people to bully her and unfriend her. Hands grip an axe and cut the life of the last tree in the development.
Hands can injure. Her hands grab him ever so tightly, reinforcing the bruises that were inflicted the last time she lashed out at him. Her hand grips the blade, dragging it along the tender skin of her wrist. He forces his hand, which is gripping a toothbrush, down his throat, forcing dinner and its unnecessary calories from his body. She raises her hand and forms an “L” towards a girl she was just friends with last week.
Hands have such power over the world. They can create, destroy, and heal. No matter their size, hands do amazing things every day. They do so much but are so unappreciated. Take time each day to realize and appreciate all the things that YOUR hands can do and evaluate how you may be using them for good or evil.
