The Privilege of Giving
Seasonal living is a challenge for every local here in Manuel Antonio. It has amazing advantages as well. For us involved in tourism and in the service industry our schedules are often hectic and spontaneous. People on vacation tend to change their minds, not realize transportation times or the wear and tear on the body, and often get fatigued from being in a new place doing outdoor activities. As an independent massage therapist my website says, “it’s very simple, anytime and anywhere here in Manuel Antonio,” referring to when and where I work. Serving someone can be viewed as one of the greatest of joys a human can have. It is a pleasure to serve our spouses, closest friends, relatives, and for me my clients. Taking that one step further and to provide food, massages, friendships, or something as simple as directions or advice is very fulfilling as a human acting charitable. This may sound odd to you the reader, but I love massaging my client’s feet. It is a symbolic in many ways and always makes me feel like I am in a moment of gratitude and fortune. I imagine it must feel the same as a chef delivers his/her main course. For a surf instructor the reward and the thrill of a face that has just ridden their first wave on a surfboard. I could go on and on but the point being that only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have. Massaging and giving of myself is so entwined into my day-to-day life that when slow season comes, and tourism drops considerably, I can go into a restless state from too much time on my hands (literally)! It is in this space that I do much sole searching by staying active and healthy and knowing in my heart the season will pick up again like it always has.
The ebb and flow of the tides, the dark nights versus sunny days, the frequency of work versus off days with relaxation I see as similar cycles. They are one in the same. It is not money that makes my work so satisfying it is the action of my physical nature and the quarter century of experience sharing with my client that makes my work gratifying. Do you know any massage therapist that you would consider financially rich? I don’t. However, some people are so poor that all they have is money. That money is used to buy material things, yet they haven’t a clue about selfless giving onto others which creates true wealth. With our seasonal living here in a tourist town I (among many others) have missed holidays, weekends, and the “normal” vacation times of nine-to-fivers from around the world. I do not have children thus school holidays mean nothing to me although I can see all these influences in the flow of the economy on our beach town. September and October have become my favorite months as I have to seek out work often up north and fill my time with giving in other ways. That in itself is a gift, needing to find ways to stay happy and positive along with absorbing the bumps and bruises of life’s unknowns. I hope everyone enjoys the final days of summer and transitions smoothly into their next cycles of this journey called living. We all share that one day we will be on our final day and when that takes place, fulfillment and contentment is all that matters. Having no regrets is perhaps the greatest gift of all.
(Todd can be reached on WhatsApp at 8830-7727 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Todd and his famous photographer wife (sarahyunker.com) recently opened a small unique tree-top bed and breakfast named Sarahtonin, sarahtoninbnb.com. They spend their off season traveling the globe looking for new friendships and experiencing new cultures.)