Real superheroes: massage therapists

I applaud all the wonderful massage therapists out there, and I am fortunate to have known many. I dream of a world with more massage therapists and less aggression.

by Dannette Hunnel — 

Imagine, if you will, a culture of loose-limbed and limp-wristed inhabitants, pleasant and carefree without the need for drugs or alcohol. A euphoric society completely decaffeinated and stress free, where the only snap, crackle and pop you hear comes from your cereal.

Car exhaust and factory output are replaced with the scent of lavender, and highway billboards show pictures of yoga poses with quotes from Gandhi and Buddha. Meditation studios replace coffee shops, and the fragrance of herbs wafts through the doorways of quaint tea shops.

This may sound like a fantasy film, but in this movie, the superheroes are massage therapists who arrive to a soundtrack of Native-American flutes and chirping birds.

In one scene, we see a depiction of road rage in one area and a line getting backed up at the neighborhood Starbucks. Suddenly, our caped crusader swoops in, speaking in a soft, calming voice, encouraging the angry and anxious citizens to take long, deep, slow breaths, as he gently kneads the knots between their shoulder blades. Calm ensues, and all is right.

Massage therapists are the true masters of our universe. These selfless individuals succumb to a lifestyle of dimly lit rooms and the constant sound of crashing waves. On a daily basis, they tolerate oil up to their elbows and unexpected bodily emissions. These superheroes get up each day with a mission to make people feel better.

In addition to spending long hours on their feet, these selfless servants without medical degrees take on the extreme challenge of touching the naked bodies of virtual strangers for the purpose of relieving another’s stress, tension and pain. Even those in the medical field do not touch bodies without drapes and sterilization.

I applaud all the wonderful massage therapists out there, and I am fortunate to have known many. I dream of a world with more massage therapists and less aggression. A world made up of soft-spoken heroes with big hearts and strong hands gently gliding through our atmosphere saving the world, one knot at a time.

Dannette Hunnel is the author of Shorten the Distance, a book focusing on long-distance parenting, and a homeopathic consultant. www.DannetteHunnel.com, 602-418-0505 or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 32, Number 3, June/July 2013.