Quantum physics has taught us that we never really touch anything. What we think and feel related to touch is an illusion created in our minds to help us navigate the physical world.
The seat you’re sitting on? Your rear is not really touching it.
The keyboard in front of you? Your fingertips are not really touching the keys.
The mobile device you’re holding? The case is not really touching your hand.
The electrons swirling around the nuclei of atoms repel other electrons. This means that atoms from two different systems (such as your body and your surroundings) are never permitted to actually touch.
They might get close to touching, but there is always some measure of infinitesimally small space between them because of their natural repulsion. They never truly connect. And, we never really touch anything.
But, when humans experience a poignant or touching moment there is real connection. When we have a moment of emotion or a moment of meaning between ourselves and others, we do experience an authentic connection.
Sharing emotions with others, causes us to become more empathetic, more compassionate, more understanding, and more trusting. The mirror neurons in our brains encourage us to experience emotions as contagious.
So, when we see and hear someone else laughing, we tend to laugh as well. Or, if a student’s graduation story and the importance of her scholarship support moves us to tears, we are more likely to be supportive of similar students.
We think physical touch is real, but it’s not. We don’t touch anything and nothing actually touches us.
Emotional touches, though, are real. The connections we share and pass along to each other change people and change behavior.
Perhaps we should focus more on creating those emotions that change behavior for the better.
