text: Tall, with steely blue eyes and messianic features; he walks with a commanding presence. An aura of intense charisma surrounds him. His name and personal details aren’t important however. He doesn’t seek fame or fortune for his mysterious deeds. His sole mission is to heal others and take away their lingering pain. He possesses the true gift of love and wholesome empathy. One day he walked up to a lady and stopped. She was startled that such a handsome gentleman would even notice her. She assumed he needed directions or assistance with some mundane matter, but the truth was far more complex. He asked her how she was doing. She studied his eyes. It was a sincere question. Her heart fluttered. She had self-image issues after a lifetime of eating disorders and disappointment in life. Her first instinct was to say she was ‘fine’. It wasn’t true, but it was the ‘polite thing to say’ when asked. People generally don’t care. It’s just an generic greeting. “I’m... not...happy.”; She answered truthfully. It felt good to be honest for a change. It seemed like he really wanted to know. What came next was more than she bargained for. He smiled and looked directly into her eyes. His smile widened. She followed suit. The man’s caring nature was contagious. Her heart began to beat faster. It was all she could do, to steady herself while their personal experience was taking place. “I know.”; He said matter-of-factly. “Would you be uncomfortable if I touched you on the shoulder?” It was an incredibly unusual request but she felt safe with him. Even relaxed. At that moment she didn’t doubt his motives at all or worry about his intentions. There was trust in his eyes. She consented. Then he reached over and lightly touched her on the shoulder, just as he requested. The moment the skin of his palm touched her upper arm, she felt an unimaginable energy source course through her body. It wasn’t painful or uncomfortable. In fact, it was like the most soothing, loving touch she had ever felt. Her eyes watered up. It was just as pure of a sensation as a mother caressing her newborn child. The lady openly wept like a baby. It was a spiritual experience that she couldn’t begin to understand but it made her feel alive and at peace with the universe. It was amazing. Then he spoke to her. “I saw your pain from a great distance, and I know it’s source. You were touched inappropriately by your father as a child and the only remedy for such horrible abuse is to be touched with genuine love. You’ve erected a wall around yourself to subconsciously avoid any sort of attention. You’ve sabotaged every relationship you’ve ever had because you convinced yourself that you deserved the abuse. You didn’t. Before others can love you, you must learn to love yourself. I’m freeing you of this pain. Now you can love yourself and be open to accepting life. Goodbye my friend.” The lady trembled in fear. The tall stranger already knew more about her than she realized about herself. She was finally free. It was like 200 pounds of self-loathing was cast off of her body from a simple touch of a stranger. He smiled at her again and was gone. The lady wiped away her fading tears and continued on her way as a new person, full of life and hope for the first time. The healing had only cost her a moment of trust and a touch from a gentle stranger on an earnest mission. The tall stranger approached a young man crouched in an alley. It was a dangerous part of town and it wasn’t wise to travel in those places alone or unarmed. The young man in the alley was a lifelong criminal. The alley was his ‘turf’ and he waited for unsuspecting people to make the mistake of walking past him. The tall stranger acknowledged the other man’s presence before the ambush could take place. Instead of running away or avoiding the confrontation, the tall stranger walked directly up to the mugger’s hiding spot. “Can I speak to you sir?”; He asked. It was so unusual for a potential mark to know what was about to transpire, that he stepped out from behind the dumpster to see what he wanted. It was a curious situation. At first the mugger adopted a defensive pose but the tall man’s lack of concern was genuinely disarming. In only a matter of seconds, both men stood face-to-face in neutral terms. “You grew up without a father figure or decent role models. Your brothers and their friends bullied you many times and pressured you into doing things that you aren’t proud of. You feel as if your life is cast in stone and you have no ability to leave that lifestyle behind but I’m here to tell you, that’s not true. You can be a better man. You can offer your own son a decent role model and pass on the positive affirmations. All you have to do, is embrace me and then walk away from this meaningless life.” The tall man held out his arms to affect a full body hug. At first the young man in the alley was taken aback. It was the most outrageous thing he’d ever heard. Who was the guy to offer lifestyle advice? His first instinct was to curse the crazy man with fiery blue eyes asking him for a hug. It was bizarre, but the tall man possessed a calming demeanor and offered words of encouragement. It was strangely tempting. As crazy as it seemed, he finally accepted. The moment the two souls embraced, the young man started shaking. It was the most powerful thing he’d ever felt. The hug was unconditional. It was warm and offered with pure motives. It presented him a chance of redemption and real change. He didn’t want to let go. It didn’t even occur to him that he was hugging a stranger in the alley. At that moment nothing else mattered. The stranger didn’t let go until all of his anger and hardness was gone. The stranger smiled and walked away. Another hurting person was healed. The tall man continued his journey down the city streets. He touched every single soul he encountered, just as they needed to be. He saw into their eyes and drew out their buried pain and misery. Some he held by hand. Others he put his arm around their shoulder or cradled their head against his chest in intimate support. He knew just how to help each suffering person along his purposeful path. He is a healer with the greatest gift. The gift of unconditional love and the power of loving touch.