| At the end of our first day of massage school, | | | | We were all pretty much to busy in our own lives |
| we all circled up to share our feelings. I got teary | | | | for that to happen. |
| eyed and said, "I miss my kids and cannot wait to | | | | Massage school definitely has a way of showing |
| go home and see them." | | | | you yourself, up close and personal. I had always |
| The months, weeks and days leading up to this | | | | considered myself to be laid back, nice. This |
| experience had been very stressful for me. I had | | | | unraveled with the first learning experience; which |
| been a stay-at-home mom for the past fifteen | | | | was just a nice name for a test. It is supposed to |
| years, with six children ranging in age from two to | | | | help mentally to call it something else. At that |
| fifteen. I was embarking on my second career. | | | | point I found out that I was very competitive, |
| My husband could not understand my stress and | | | | and even almost mean about it. Wow! Insight |
| concerns. His constant reassurances that | | | | number one. |
| everything would be fine at home for the next | | | | Another eye opener came a few weeks into |
| five months, and that it was no big deal to | | | | school when we were having a communications |
| undress in front of complete strangers, did not | | | | class. I usually skipped these. In this particular |
| help. | | | | situation we were to partner up with another |
| As the first day of school got closer, I was so | | | | student, and tell how we felt about each other. |
| stressed that I broke out with a huge fever | | | | My partner told me that when we had begun |
| blister, right smack dab in the middle of my | | | | school she did not like me, but she was beginning |
| bottom lip. It hung around for the first two | | | | to! That hit pretty hard, obviously, since I still |
| months of school! | | | | remember it. |
| It was amazing for me to realize how many of | | | | Number three came in our daily circle when we |
| my ideas about education could be traced back to | | | | were given time to share how clinics were going, |
| my elementary school teachers. I was actually | | | | and how we felt about the work we were doing |
| remembering educational experiences from over | | | | outside of class. I was so excited to share about |
| twenty years ago; which fed right into my stress, | | | | my work with the university cross-country team. |
| of course. | | | | When the teacher called my name, another |
| Another stress was the unknowns of massage | | | | student remarked, "What are you going to brag |
| school in general. Would I be the old lady in a class | | | | about today?" Boom! Insight number three. |
| full of young people? Would there be guys I would | | | | I am glad to say these three and many other |
| have to work with? | | | | experiences did encourage introspection and |
| Did my brain even still function? All of these and | | | | change, but that did not make them any easier to |
| many more doubts went through my mind. | | | | take at the time. The biggest lesson learned was |
| The first day of school erased about half of | | | | to be careful about the words coming out of my |
| these worries. There were eleven students in my | | | | mouth. This has served me well in my business |
| class; all but three attending for the purpose of a | | | | and my life. This lesson, still with my twelve years |
| second career, like myself. They all seemed | | | | later, is the same, with this addition: be kind. |
| harmless enough, including the three guys. What a | | | | On the last day of massage school we all circled |
| relief! | | | | up to share our feelings for the last time. When |
| Thus we embarked on our five month journey | | | | my turn came I said, "I'm glad this is over, and I |
| together. I have seen and heard about classes | | | | can't wait to go home to my children." Everyone |
| were everyone became instant friends forever. | | | | chuckled, but all agreed. |