“Very seldom do wonderful things happen while we wait.” —Bonnie Prudden

Massage & Bodywork family, please celebrate with me! We’ve won a couple of wonderful awards. Yes, you’re part of these kudos, too. Congratulations! In May, Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) was named Association of the Year for the ninth consecutive time by the World Massage Festival. And I was overjoyed when they awarded me the Bonnie Prudden Meritorious Service Award at the same time.
We have all of you—ABMP members and devoted readers—to thank for these honors. You teach us, challenge us, applaud us. You inspire us to be the most responsive association possible with the highest quality insurance and benefits possible. And, as an individual, it’s humbling to win an award for service while working on behalf of an entire profession dedicated to service! Kind of like putting sea salt on caramel: indulgent, but wonderful. It warms my heart to share this news right before EveryBody Deserves a Massage Week (July 16–20)—and give a nod to those members who are poised to participate.
Whether we know it or not, all of us supporting wellness are following in the footsteps of Bonnie Prudden. She devoted her efforts to improving life for others. Her legacy traces back to the 1940s. She was so angered by the caliber of her daughter’s gym class, she partnered with John F. Kennedy’s physician and prompted President Dwight D. Eisenhower to launch the President’s Council on Youth Fitness. She had her own television show on fitness and health in the 1960s and spoke on countless radio talk shows. By 1976, she developed the Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy system of bodywork to address muscle pain. At age 97, she was still working to make a difference. Thanks to protégés Enid Whittaker and Sandy Dirks, Bonnie’s work lives on in her publications and teachings via www.bonnieprudden.com. I’m touched to have my name and our magazine associated with her wisdom.
In my mind, there are two paths to pursue when it comes to awards. With the first, you take a bow for your accomplishments and breathe in the notoriety. With the second, you take a bow, draw in a deep breath, and start thinking about how you can continue to step up your game. Here at Massage & Bodywork, we’re on that second path, and we know you are, too, because you’re turning these pages—learning and applying what you read. So, let’s toast our awards! Then, it’s back to work. Thank you for joining us on the podium.

Leslie A. Young, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
leslie@abmp.com