Several years ago, Mike Hinkle, cofounder of the World Massage Festival (WMF), mentioned he wanted to induct me into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame. Me? When hundreds of thousands of massage therapists have dedicated their lives to the profession? I’m just one journalist.

But in July, in beautiful Cullowhee, North Carolina, I accepted the award. In my mind, I did so with a list of qualifiers. Yes, I’m full of gratitude, but I’m just one of a staff of nine in ABMP’s Communication Services Department who works to bring top-notch publications to members and other practitioners to help build skills and practices. And I’m just one member of the management team at ABMP, which is headed by Chairman Bob Benson, who was also inducted into the 2011 Hall of Fame. I’m just one of the 40-plus ABMP staffers who serve our 78,000-plus members on a daily basis. This staff’s service and creativity are so exceptional that ABMP just won the WMF Association of the Year trophy for the third consecutive year.

I’m also just one of the volunteer trustees on the Massage Therapy Foundation board. We work to support research and community service grants that help promote the efficacy of massage therapy and make it available to at-risk populations.

And, luckily for me, I’m one of hundreds of thousands of clients who have come to personally know and appreciate the benefits of massage therapy and healing touch.

So, you see, you and I share a great deal. At one level, we’re individuals working to perform at our very best every single day. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed and think you can’t see your way through. Then a client hugs you and says your massage is the highlight of her month, and your spirit soars. That’s how I feel when I get an email from a reader who’s found a particularly useful nugget in the pages of Massage & Bodywork!

So regardless of the ebb and flow of our work, let’s focus on the bright spots in the massage profession. There are so many! I hope you feel the love and support of our peers as much as I do. Thank you for embracing ABMP and me. And congratulations on the award. As a Massage & Bodywork reader, it’s yours, too.

Leslie A. Young, Editor in Chief                                                 

leslie@abmp.com