“I’m ready to do something big,” I told my counselor. “I made big changes when I was younger,” I said. “When I was a minister, I moved to a different denomination. While I worked, I got my master of divinity. Later, I got divorced and remarried. I left the ministry and my religion and started work as a writer and a substitute teacher.”
When I went to work at the grocery store, I figured I would coast into retirement within the next few years. But no. My inner self became restless and rebelled at the thought of sitting out the last years of my life.
So, I decided to become a massage therapist.
It appears to be a sudden turn in my life, but it isn’t. I’ve been thinking about it for a few years. I might have done it when I first thought of it, but I wasn’t up for it then. I’m stronger now and more emotionally stable, sort of.
As I write this, I am in the middle of the accelerated path toward becoming a licensed massage therapist. It’s turning out to be quite challenging for this gray, beaten-up guy. The work is physically demanding, and the classwork is difficult for me. In fact, I’m in danger of failing the hardest class, which is embarrassing for an intellectual guy who has been a teacher, a college professor, and a preacher. More than once, I’ve considered quitting.
“But I wanted a challenge,” I told myself. I wanted to test myself and show my children that I could accomplish something new and difficult, even at my age. So, I’m staying and will push on to the end, pass or fail.
So, what’s the big deal about being a massage therapist? It won’t prevent me from fading into obscurity. But getting massages helped me cope when I was in a dark place mentally and emotionally, and I want to offer that to other people. To help people feel better after spending an hour with them is pretty satisfying.
Some say touch has a spiritual component, which is a little mystical for my tastes, but there is something undefinable about how it benefits people. However, we know that touch can be healing, spurring the production of hormones that elevate the mood and promote physical healing. Better circulation helps muscles recover more quickly. Most people who receive massages say it eases their mental and emotional stress.
That’s for me. I want to offer relief to the achy feet and sore backs of my former coworkers at the store. I’m looking forward to massaging the tension away from teachers who work too hard. I’d enjoy helping someone relax while they’re on vacation. And maybe I could gently massage a prematurely born baby to help it develop.
When I was young, I was often challenged to change the world. My goals are not so lofty anymore, but I still intend to improve the world by massaging one person at a time.
Deep Calls 