HANDS, A SILENT LANGUAGE
Elsa's Hands
Louis Aragon – Le Fou d'Elsa
(Excerpt – Éditions Gallimard, Blanche collection)
Give me your hands for my worries
Give me your hands that I have dreamed of so much
That I have dreamed of so much in my solitude
Give me your hands so that I may be saved
When I catch them in my poor trap
With my palm and fear of haste and excitement
When I catch them like snow water
Melting everywhere in my hands
Will you ever know what goes through my mind
What upsets me and overwhelms me
Will you ever know what pierces me
What I betrayed when I trembled
What the profound language thus says
This silent speech of animal meanings
Without mouth or eyes, a mirror without image
This trembling of love that has no words
Will you ever know what fingers think
Of a prey held between them for a moment
Will you ever know what their silence
A flash will have known of the unknown
Give me your hands so that my heart may take shape there
So that the world may be silent there, at least for a moment
Give me your hands so that my soul may sleep there
So that my soul may sleep there eternally.
Hands occupy a unique place in our lives. They act, create, reassure, protect. They sometimes express what words dare not say.
In Le Fou d’Elsa, Louis Aragon describes hands as a refuge, a silent language, a deep connection between people. This vision resonates particularly strongly in our medical practice, where the hand is both a functional organ and a vehicle for humanity.
Every day in consultation, we encounter painful, stiff, or fragile hands. Hands that can no longer write, work, play an instrument, or perform simple everyday tasks. Behind these limitations, there is always a story, a concern, and sometimes a loss of confidence.
Caring for the hand is not just about restoring function. It is about enabling everyone to reconnect: with their work, their passions, their loved ones.
As the year draws to a close, this text reminds us of what is essential: taking care of our hands means preserving what connects us to others and to the world.
Thank you to all our patients, colleagues, and partners for the trust you have placed in us throughout the year. May the new year be marked by sharing, care, and human connection.
