I got a chuckle out of this story. My son is EQP in his ward and shakes many hands. Some people don't have the hard 'Missionary grip" because they are either non-members, or other reasons. His uncle met the missionaries at our house. When I told my son, he replied, Oh did Uncle Gary give his usual "fish " handshake? (That's when you shake hands and yours goes limp like a dead fish).
I laughed as I knew my brother-in-law ALWAYS shook hands like a "fish" but thought nothing of it.
He's still a non-member, but who knows, he may just increase his grip as his testimony grows.
esclydeMarch 5, 2013
I always teach the young men in our ward that the objective is to squeeze just hard enough let the other person know you're there, but not hard enough to hurt anyone. Nothing worse than a limp fish handshake.
YoMammasLDSMarch 5, 2013
As I've aged and started feeling the effects of some chronic, debilitating disease and conditions in my life, the last thing I want is a firm handshake, no matter how brief.
A firm handshake, even the kind you describe, hurts me. As in, causes pain. So, I appreciate the member/person who shakes my hand with a gentle grip. This is the kind that doesn't hurt, and is also the kind I was trained to use as a temple worker. You never know - YOU NEVER KNOW who, among all those you meet, has arthritis, or some other condition that causes them pain when they are dealt with too firmly.
As a temple worker in the Washington, D.C. temple, I was trained to use a soft, gentle grip when greeting patrons - for all of the above reasons. You never know who among us suffers from a condition that has made touch a potentially painful experience.
I shook hands with a general authority on Sunday, and he took my hand in both of his, gently holding it - not shaking it - as he thanked me for the honor of meeting with my stake, of meeting me. I was SO appreciative of his gentle handshake, because from the outside, I don't look like anything's wrong. Yet, I have a growing list of conditions that all contribute to making touch a potentially painful experience.
So, while you all are out there, shaking hands firmly to make a good impression, just be aware that that 20-30-40-50-60 something person you're meeting may have a condition where a firm handshake is the last thing they want to experience.
Just some food for thought....
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SandyMarch 5, 2013
I got a chuckle out of this story. My son is EQP in his ward and shakes many hands. Some people don't have the hard 'Missionary grip" because they are either non-members, or other reasons. His uncle met the missionaries at our house. When I told my son, he replied, Oh did Uncle Gary give his usual "fish " handshake? (That's when you shake hands and yours goes limp like a dead fish). I laughed as I knew my brother-in-law ALWAYS shook hands like a "fish" but thought nothing of it. He's still a non-member, but who knows, he may just increase his grip as his testimony grows.
esclydeMarch 5, 2013
I always teach the young men in our ward that the objective is to squeeze just hard enough let the other person know you're there, but not hard enough to hurt anyone. Nothing worse than a limp fish handshake.
YoMammasLDSMarch 5, 2013
As I've aged and started feeling the effects of some chronic, debilitating disease and conditions in my life, the last thing I want is a firm handshake, no matter how brief. A firm handshake, even the kind you describe, hurts me. As in, causes pain. So, I appreciate the member/person who shakes my hand with a gentle grip. This is the kind that doesn't hurt, and is also the kind I was trained to use as a temple worker. You never know - YOU NEVER KNOW who, among all those you meet, has arthritis, or some other condition that causes them pain when they are dealt with too firmly. As a temple worker in the Washington, D.C. temple, I was trained to use a soft, gentle grip when greeting patrons - for all of the above reasons. You never know who among us suffers from a condition that has made touch a potentially painful experience. I shook hands with a general authority on Sunday, and he took my hand in both of his, gently holding it - not shaking it - as he thanked me for the honor of meeting with my stake, of meeting me. I was SO appreciative of his gentle handshake, because from the outside, I don't look like anything's wrong. Yet, I have a growing list of conditions that all contribute to making touch a potentially painful experience. So, while you all are out there, shaking hands firmly to make a good impression, just be aware that that 20-30-40-50-60 something person you're meeting may have a condition where a firm handshake is the last thing they want to experience. Just some food for thought....
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