Work or W**k

by C. JeAnne Frey, CMT
31 July 2009

Several years ago, a friend of mine was venting about his job online and in the course of the rant, typed "w**k."

"Dude, you totally splatted work" or words to that effect quickly followed from one of the younger people on the forum. (For those unfamiliar with splatting, he'd made sure people wouldn't be offended by the "four-letter-word" he used, as if instead he'd just typed "c**p" or worse.) Once people realized he'd categorized the word "work" that way, most were in agreement that work is, in addition to consisting of 4 letters, a word that perhaps should be prohibited from public broadcast before 10 pm and certainly not permitted in movies rated G.

As people commented, I felt as if I must be from another planet. I was already a body worker by this time, so for me work wasn't some awful thing I detested but needed to put up with to support my dance addiction (not to mention keep a roof over my head.) For me, work was The Work. My Work. My Calling. The Best Thing That Had Ever Happened For Me.

Okay, I'll admit perhaps that's a bit dramatic.

On the other hand, perhaps it's only dramatic because I've learned over the years that gushing about how amazingly rewarding it is to do what I do every day comes off as more than just a touch unbelievable to many of the people I encounter in social situations. I remember what it was like to have a j-o-b that I went to because I believed I had to if I wanted to pay the bills. Some of my former jobs were more to my liking than others, yet until I faced another round of downsizing and started my chosen career, every position I'd held was, to some degree or another, something I'd just managed to fall into. Unfortunately, I was not all that unusual in my working life at that time. Plain and simple, many people do not particularly like what they do to support themselves and their families.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm well aware some people with jobs unsuited to those of us who've chosen massage as our field do actually like or love what they do. Just because I can't imagine myself doing well at, let alone absolutely loving, a job in one of the technology industries doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people who do. One of the endlessly fascinating and wonderful things about human nature is that we're all so different. We're fortunate this is true. If all of our strengths were in the same area, so much wouldn't get done, or wouldn't get done well.

Of course I'm biased, but I believe people who massage others are among the lucky ones. I've not met a single body worker, be they a massage therapist, massage provider, Rolfer, energy worker, full-timer, part-timer, etc. who does not at the very least like what they do. Most truly love it. Some would be lost without it. Some would prefer different working conditions, but if they don't like The Work, they would cease doing it. After all, there are much easier ways to make a living.

A colleague of mine recently said of me that massage is more than my career, it's my calling. Perhaps because I feel that to be so true that it's a given, I presume that's the case for all of us who stay in this field. Doesn't everyone feel the need to massage someone after a few days away from the office? Isn't honoring touch with the intention to recognize, assist, and comfort an absolute need? Okay, perhaps it isn't for everyone. Yet it does seem to be so for many of us called to this Work.

Each person who finds what they love and finds a way to do it, in whatever capacity, is contributing to the world around them. Even if what is Their Work is never acknowledged by others, by doing what they love they are more fulfilled and to some degree happier. That translates to easier, more joyful interactions with those around them. As massage therapists, we contribute not only by what we do, but by the very fact that we do it.

C. JeAnne Frey has been a Certified Massage Therapist since 1999. She has a private practice in Charlottesville, VA where she is known for her deep tissue massage and soul-focused energy work. She also dances and looks around for people and things to appreciate. She can be reached at jeanne@tyrmassage.com.