Essential Massage

It is now day 7 of the corona virus shutdown in my profession. I received the email from my manager 7 days ago today. I am a massage therapist who works 5 days a week.

My profession is considered to be non-essential although any massage therapist would beg to differ. There are so many benefits to having a good massage that I don’t think I can remember them all.

I do agree however, that my job is non-essential in an illness environment. It just won’t work, not in an environment that is disinfecting the surface from sickness and avoiding close contact with people.

I touch bodies all day, for long periods of time. I listen to the many stories from clients of the stress they feel, along with their ongoing pain. It feels like I’m waiting on the side lines for the green light that all is well, but instead, I am looking for opportunities. Like a butterfly, I'm hoping soon that everyone will spring forward. I'm hoping my boss will say I can return to work to induce circulation in the many bodies that have been cooped up for weeks, yes; it will be the massage therapists that jump start a lot of people back into their routine.

I only hope it will be different when the time comes. I imagine clients returning for their massages with a whole new perspective on their perception of what stress is. Something we all want to transform, and transform we did. We spent more time at home cooking, telling stories and enjoying family. We volunteered, did things we never had time to do. We cared beyond ourselves even more.

There is no vaccine for an energy bigger than us. A force that is forcing us to stay home and regroup and focus on what is essential. Like, housing the homeless, and caring about each other. We are told to stay home and yet while we were so busy at work, that’s where we longed to be anyway. Certainly not, sitting in an easy chair holding the tv remote, but home, back to our true essence.

We need to be still for that. Things need to come to a halt. Much like having a good massage, but this is bigger than that. Things will circulate better once we reset our lives. Then my job will be essential in maintaining that healthy flow. This is my world, and I will be excited to continue that, because touch will always be essential part of the whole that embraces us all.
Patricia Huff, Massage Envy, South Pasadena https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0045WSVR8