"wash your hands"

How many times in your life have you heard someone, maybe a parent, say - "did you wash your hands?"

I know I heard it from relatives and teachers. Heck, I still hear it today from my husband when exiting the toilet or when cooking dinner.

I was recently at a meeting discussing clean water issues in Cambodia. Generally, we couple such projects with hygiene promotion. Encouraging individuals to wash their hands at critical times - after going to the toilet, before eating, or while preparing a meal. One man who has been working in the sector a long time said something that stuck with me.

According to this man, when someone tells you to wash your hands - that is demonstrating love.

Think about it - you wouldn't say it, if you didn't care about the individual. Those you say it to, you feel affection toward - why else would you say such a thing? Those who never hear it, likely don't have someone in their life who is looking out for their welfare.

So, maybe in the month of love and a looming valentines day - you could ask someone, "did you wash your hands?"