Sunday, August 14, 2011

Reunion

me on way to class reunion
I attended my 40th year class reunion last night. Ha- and it was really fun to see everyone.  One of my graduates was there and came up to me and said "when is Health Enrichment Center going to have a reunion.  Well- that's a good question.  I will have to puts some plans together for that. We have planned reunions before with little attendance.  At the high school reunion last night there were only about 30 of us out of 190 but I realize that it is about those that do show up so I will plan a Health Enrichment Center reunion and let everyone one know.

Last week I was at Steelers training camp.  I meet other massage therapists there and enjoyed the interaction.  The Pittsburgh School of Massage was there with students providing massage and that was fun to watch.  I got after a couple of the guys I work with and told them to make sure players took advantage of the services because the students need to be able to have the experience of realizing the football players are human beings after all.  I thought the instructors there did a very good job. After seeing about 6-8 football players a day for 7 day- mostly grizzled old veterans who really do need massage-I was reminded how important it is for us to practice effective body mechanics.  I really do work efficiently as well as effectively and was not sore or tired at all.  It makes me sad when I hear massage therapists saying that they hurt or can't do more than 4 massage sessions a day.  Maybe I can combine the topic of body mechanics into a reunion. 

I was thrilled to find a monarch butterfly caterpillar in my garden. I have worked hard to create the habitat that would both attract and nurture the next generation of butterflies.  As I attend the Alliance for Massage Therapy Educators meeting next week my hope is that this same commitment will occur for our future generation of massage therapists. I know I am committed but I am only one and can only personally nurture a few.  One year in an attempt to "help" a caterpillar I placed it in a protected cage.  I made sure all the food was fresh and appropriate.  I watched every day and was thrilled when the crystallise was formed. Some how the butterfly emerged when I was gone and was trapped and died.  What a lesson for me.  Yes I kept the caterpillar safe but failed to free the butterfly. We need to remember this as we strive to prepare the next generation of massage therapist.

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