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The Love that was Packaged in a Massage
What is love?
Ah, perhaps one would quote from an old song and say, “Love is a many-splendored thing…” On the other hand, the more philosophical among us would say, “love is one of life’s greatest mysteries that are quite a challenge to fathom.”
For the many, love is indeed a mystery that is difficult to unravel because the moment you try to search for it, the more it becomes elusive and incomprehensible.
No wonder, countless wars have been waged and many lives were lost in the name of love. The beauteous Helen of Troy caused a war so devastating that it resulted to numerous senseless deaths among the young and the courageous.
However, to balance things, many lives were also so enriched and countless of generations benefited when a carpenter Joseph’s love prevailed over the seemingly unacceptable Mary when she conceived a baby without the blessings of a much-expected matrimony. It completed the prophecy on Jesus.
Yes, I would be a hypocrite if I would say that I have never been in love and have not loved so deeply. It took me almost a decade to hold on to the one professed love that could, I was hoping, truly last a lifetime. But that “lifetime” never came to be; because the object of that so-called undying affection simply took another guy to marry. Since then, the paths of our hearts never crossed again.
Many things came our way and it made everything more complicated. Painful as it is, but for me that once intense and passionate love has satisfactorily confined itself into the annals of history. Well, the one true love I wish to venture about was the one that begun in the four corners of an orphan house.
Sometime ago, in my effort to volunteer to take care of unwanted and abandoned street children, I was also “volunteered” by someone else to become a house parent much to my surprise. All I want to do was assist in the day-to-day operation of the orphanage but never to be involved in any form of parenting.
Well, my obvious reason was - I am single and inexperienced. Taking the role as “parent” to over twenty (20) street children is a gargantuan task that no normal-thinking parents would be willing to take. (Later, I realized that the only choice left was when to start to work as house parent.)
When the D-day came, my marching orders were- “Robert, these kids were abandoned and abused. The only language they understood is hatred and bitterness. You have to do everything in your power to show them that you love them and care enough for them. You have to show them what compassionate love is.” Of course, the naïve in me says I have to regularly touch them by patting their back and hugging them, if need be, telling them that I love them.
But I realized that it is not as easy as it seems. Why? Because the guy whom I replaced has done lots of it, perhaps even more, that is why he was kicked out of the orphanage (he was later found to be gay). And so what should I do? It took me countless sleepless nights; praying, thinking and asking for guidance on how to show love to these smelly, little rascals. Of course, deep in my heart, I love them and proof of that love is my resigning from a promising government job and going full time into a financially challenged endeavor.
However, practically showing them what love is entirely a different matter. One peaceful morning, I had a vision. I saw myself surrounded by kind, loving and caring children. They became transformed from their old, disturbed lives. It was such a glorious moment for a struggling young “parent” like me.
Slowly the vision became clearer. I saw the children falling in line by two’s and giving each other their much-needed touch. Moreover, as time went by, the same children, as they continued with the exercise, became closer with each other. They have become more tolerant and understanding. They have learned to accept their unfortunate past and slowly but surely, they became determined to move towards having a better and happier future. That was, indeed, a beautiful beginning to most of them. That was the story on how I finally fell in love. The kind of love that I never I thought would be possible. It is a special kind of love that helped drew the best, the good and the beautiful among the street-hardened kids.
Oh, what a love! Well, that love is the love that was packaged in a massage. Indeed, massage was instrumental to it all.
Tags: HIMAS Massage Training Shiatsu Pinoy Hilot Massage Therapy
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