By David Tepera, April 9, 2025

Recently, I was taking a break, relaxing for a moment, and was staring at my hands. I’m turning 64 in a couple of months, and was noticing how much these hands have aged. When dad was dying four years ago, my sister Karen snapped a picture of us holding hands. Dad is twenty years older and you can’t tell whose hands are who in the picture.
Listen, we can’t stop time, but we have control of what we do with our time. Take a hard look at your own hands. How much love have those hands given? How many people have you hugged and touched?
I think of the years raising my children and wiping away tears, applying band-aids, lifting and throwing them in the air as they squealed with laughter, and of course, holding them the day they were born. The list is endless with kids.
What all have you built with those hands? Hopefully, you used your hands to make other’s lives better and not to destroy. We’ve all made mistakes we regret, but your hands can still mend those circumstances. Just think about the power of a true handshake. I even taught my daughter Daylyn the importance of a firm grip.
Next time you hold the hand of an elderly person, take the moment and think of what all those hands have been through.
When I used to train my best friend and 102-year-old Pater Johnson, I knew in those last few months he would be leaving us. Pater and I would spend time together each week, but before I left his house, we would hold hands and say our good-byes. All I could think about from this WWII Vet, is what have those hands been through? I would cry all the way back to our gym. Tina was waiting because she knew I needed help to regain my composure.
How are you going to use your hands today? Do you realize how important our hands are? Would you take millions of dollars to have your hands taken away? Of course not, because that’s the power of having hands.
Now, take a good look at your own hands. Don’t be concerned about the aging process because our hands have done more for us than any other body part. Place your hands against your face and listen to the stories they get to tell.