Wonder

Prompt 4: Wonder
How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?
(Author: Jeff Davis)

I happened to not have an 11:00am client this morning, so I figured I'd take some time to think and hopefully write about today's prompt. So I started to think.. and think.. and think.. and it brought me to realize that my volunteer massage work wins this one hands down.

I've briefly written about this before, but I volunteered to massage at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in DC this past May. True, it was also for a school assignment, but it was something so much bigger than that for me. I was massaging cancer survivors, friends and family, after they walked anywhere from 13 to 26 miles over a two day period. These people were from all over the country, ranging in age from 12 to 92, and all had some connection to breast cancer in their lives. To see the unity, the strength, the outstanding support and love that all these people had for this one cause just blew me away. It made me realize that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves and the little bubbles we tend to live in. It's absolutely amazing to me how strong these people are.

I also volunteered to massage at the Marine Corps marathon this past October. There were over 10,000 people running up to 26 miles in one day - something I can't even possibly imagine. Again, all these people are connected to our country's armed forces in some way; military wives and husbands, children, friends.. their love and support was just bursting at the seams - even after running all day and being achy all over, they were more than happy to talk about their lives and troubles and joys while I massaged them. It's such a powerful thing, and absolutely cultivated a sense of wonder in my life. Wonder at how amazing the world can be when we all come together for a certain cause. Wonder at the inherent good in everybody, even if it gets a bit murky at other times. Wonder at life, and how great it can really be. Wonder at how I found a career that, in a way, found me as well.. and how I know that I am meant to be doing this.