Pulse October 2016 | Page 8

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @ISpaDoYou LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! International SPA Association MARION PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO ou’ve probably heard the age-old advice by the wise Confucius: “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Many times when we are young, it’s difficult to know with certainty the path that would lead us to your passion. I was probably 10 years old when I first discovered my gift of the written words. After tasked to compose an essay as part of our weekly homework, my grade-school teacher copied my entire essay on the blackboard as an example of a work well done. That was the first time I felt the joy of writing. It made me look back, had this perceptive teacher not have done what she did, would I have truly realized this wonderful gift of storytelling? Where would the road have led me had I chosen a different path? “Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.” We all have different stories on how we got to where we are now, some of us had to face more challenges than others, but ultimately, we manage to arrive at the same destination—the spa industry. Some of these inspiring stories are featured in this issue’s “The Road Ahead: Walking the Path Toward a Meaningful Spa Career” (page 46). Many more will be highlighted in People of ISPA (read ISPA News, page 59), which will profile spa industry professionals and their personal stories of struggles and triumphs. Despite the differences in our stories, there’s a common thread that ties us together: our passion for the spa industry. Passion is what drives us to rise above, even when everything else is pulling us down. Passion is what inspires companies and people, like those featured in this issue’s “The Giving Heart” (page 34), to make a difference in the lives of others. When at the crossroads of uncertainty, remember the words of St. Catherine of Siena: “Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.” Are you ready? Together, let’s set the world on fire! DID YOU COLOR INSIDE THE LINES? Many shared their creative creations on social media and some even threw a coloring challenge to see who among their peers were Monet in-the-making. Shane Bird and Jennifer WaylandSmith got into the fun and proved that, with a little bit of color, life is so much better! SHANE BIRD —MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON, EDITOR @ISPAPULSEEDITOR 6 PULSE ■ October 2016 JENNIFER WAYLAND-SMITH