How We Touch the Things We Feel

Artist Cherylle Booker works on a clay sculpture at the Project Onward studio for ceramics at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Some objects are more than tools. They’re companions we come to know through repeated contact - the familiar mug whose handle fits our fingers just right, the well-worn pants that have softened to match the shape of our body. These objects don’t just serve a function; they carry the history of our interactions with them. Over time, they become part of how we move through the world.

Familiarity grows through repetition. The more we reach for the same object, the more our hands - and even our bodies - learn its weight, texture, and balance. This kind of knowing isn’t just stored in the mind. It lives in the muscles, in the way we adjust without thinking, in the confidence that comes from already understanding what an object will do.

This process is central to independence and agency. It’s why there’s a natural connection to the aims of occupational therapy: the act of handling, adjusting, and selecting specific tools is not a small part of the work - it is the work. Every time someone chooses a particular paintbrush, pairs a specific bowl with a favorite spoon, or consistently reaches for the same type of scissors, they’re forming a relationship with the material world.

That relationship has emotional weight. A familiar object can offer stability in moments of uncertainty, comfort in the midst of change, and a tangible reminder that we have the ability to shape our surroundings. These are not just “things” - they are anchors in our understanding of being.

As facilitators, one of our roles is to notice and protect the space where these relationships can form. That might mean offering choices without rushing decisions, making sure preferred tools are accessible, or honoring the significance someone places on a seemingly ordinary object.

The more we touch the things we feel - in both senses of that phrase - the more we discover how the physical world can support us, teach us, and deepen our sense of belonging within it.