Trading Up

I have long been coveting a skill or job where doing “trades” was a possibility. I remember back to my mid-twenties when I lived with a massage therapist, and she and all of her massage therapist friends were trading massage for acupuncture, meals, wine, and lots of other things. I wanted in on that action. I do probably possess skills which someone would want in trade, but up until now I have not had the opportunity to barter them for services I want. I have taken on extra work for extra pay, and then used the money to buy massage, but somehow the whole cash-less exchange seemed like a better deal.

Now it looks like my yoga teacher and I are in a position to barter some speech therapy services for some babysitting and yoga sessions. I am so happy to be in a position to help her out, because she has been helping my life tremendously for years now, with her awesome teaching. I would not have been able to cope with work, parenthood and all the stresses in my life if I hadn't had her help and influence on my yoga practice. So the fact that I can do something to help her family, and continue to work with her help on my yoga, is even better than the trades I so coveted in the past.