13/05/2026
Self-care wasn't really a thing when I was growing up. Although I remember a tween fascination with home-made skincare: mashed avocado face masks and cucumber slices over the eyes.
My mom would sit for hours with her friends, discussing life while drinking tea, playing scrabble and smoking ci******es. She didn't go for massages and I don't ever remember her visiting a beauty salon.
Maybe it was cultural or maybe she just wasn't that interested. I remember she enjoyed taking long walks on the beach or the mountain. And she went through a stage of practising yoga from a book at home in the early mornings.
That was my first exposure to self-care at home. And to yoga.
I was only introduced to massage in my early 20's when I was the practice body for a friend learning therapeutic massage. I even went to her practical exam. That was when my body began to understand the value of massage.
When I started practising Thai Massage, I met the people who invested in bodywork for self-care. Paying for massage is not essentially South African. Unlike in Thailand, where everyone goes for regular treatments, often in rooms full of mattresses where therapists work side by side.
I learned that massage is not just a luxury, it is an essential facet of health, mobility and mental well-being. The wellness movement has shone light on its great value.
So this Mother's Day, I took my 13-year old daughter on a spa day. She has grown up with plenty of massage, since she was a baby. I want her to know that this form of self-care doesn't have to be earned. You dont have to run miles or feel stiff from a strenuous workout to "deserve" a massage. Its simply a healthy lifestyle choice.
If you are someone who enjoys the healing power of touch, give that to yourself regularly.
