(Fourth of a series)
“I have a massage when I want to relax. I love being pampered. I love island massages when you’re outside in the fresh air. —Angie Stone
[Select a handful of those things in your bucket list that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame. In tech speak, this means before your life’s energy goes into ‘low batt mode’ and life has run out of sockets to plug into.]
As you begin considering to pare down the stuff you have accumulated unwittingly over a lifetime, you begin to realize that perhaps going through experiences might be a more worthwhile pursuit.
Getting a massage is one of those supreme indulgences many people can’t seem to get enough of. Head massage, facial massage, whole boy massage, foot massage – there’s plenty to choose from in many spas that are becoming big business. Some salons are offering these as part of their services because there is a real need for it.
People who are part of a work-a-day world doing stressful jobs that have deadlines and quotas would probably love for their employers to give them vouchers to have a weekly or monthly massage as part of their benefits package. Their nerves and muscles tied up in knots could be loosened up and made to relax with a massage.
If you haven’t had a massage in your life, indulge in one. It can be pretty pricey though since they go by hourly rates. But if you do so only once in a great while, the experience of a full body massage can be exhilarating. There are kiosks in the mall that offer this. It is usually the men who patronize this since the public exposure may be a turn-off for ladies who may prefer the privacy of spas instead.
In a vacation at Boracay many years ago, on the spur of the moment, I had a massage by the beach done by a blind, elderly woman, licensed by the Philippine Department of Tourism. She was good. It was as though all the knotted areas in my neck and back disappeared.
Foot massages are wonderful as well. In the hands of an expert masseuse, a foot massage can feel like all the tired bones and muscles in the feet are given attention and care on a cellular level. Your feet, and by extension, the entire body, would become rejuvenated with the human touch.
If you walk, jog or run regularly as part of your fitness routine, try getting a foot massage sometime. Leg cramps may be a way of telling us that we need to treat our legs and feet with the same tender loving care we give our faces.
After all, the feet that carries our weight all day deserve some pampering. If you have happy feet, your day and even nights will be restful. You are likely to wake up energized ready to take on the next day.
Next week: Another idea to consider for The Bucket List …
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Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail [email protected]
