Boston, You’re My Home!

A couple of weeks ago, some friends of mine were visiting from Canada. I was so excited to show them around Boston and give them a true Boston experience. We did some of the typical things such as a night at Fenway Park, dinner on Newbury Street at Stephanie’s and of course they wanted to see ‘Cheers’. When I was unable to hang with them for work reasons, I sent them on a scenic waterfront stroll past the Moakley Court House, the Rose Kennedy Greenway and of course into the North End to have some Pastry at ‘Mike’s’.

Early one morning while his wife attended a conference at the Expo Center, I took my buddy out to Castle Island so he could really see the beauty and of course some history of this city. This is a place I routinely like to go to clear my head and regroup. While we were sitting there sipping coffee, solving world piece and watching the boats enter and exit the harbor; he asked me why I was so proud of this city. He wanted to know why it seemed like EVERYONE he met was not only proud of their city, but super polite and friendly.

He said, “Everyone who I have met has been super nice. They say ‘thank you’, make eye contact when they speak to you and all just seem to be happy where they are…..eh!”

Now, maybe its because I took him places where mostly locals go and the tourists are not the bulk of the masses, but I really couldn’t say why other than that Boston is in fact a VERY small city more like a big neighborhood. Unlike cities like NYC and Chicago, Boston is tiny. Many think that considering our reputation in pro sports, politics, the arts or education that we are just as ‘big’ as the other major cities. I think it’s the fact that we are so small yet so rich in culture, is what makes this small community stronger.

October 1^st marked the ‘sweet 16’ anniversary of The Boston Bodyworker. I originally open our doors in Downtown Crossing in 1999 upon returning from a 10 years stretch in Tampa, FL. My vision was to ‘Bring Clinical Massage to the MAsses’. We have been located in Copley Square since 2001. I had always dreamed of owning my own business in this amazing city and couldn’t wait to be able to share my passion and skills with others. These past 16 years have been the best years of my life and I have this city and the people who live here (and visit) to thank for it.

I explained to him that Boston is a ‘no-nonsense’ city where people say what they do and do what they say. Anything else is unacceptable. Relationships are made and lost in an instant here. However, if you deliver on what you say, the level of loyalty is unparalleled. Of course he thought that perhaps the marathon bombing helped unify this city and to a certain extent, it did. Many people around the globe saw how this city responded swiftly in snuffing out evil by allowing our first responders to ‘Do Their Job’. This was not an isolated incident. This small city is a community of neighbors who take pride in the fact that we have each other’s backs. It has been this way from the beginning. Perhaps this is why the Bill Belichick mantra of ‘Do Your Job’ resonates so loudly around here. It’s really that simple.

This city has been such a huge supporter of The Boston Bodyworker over these past 16 years and I can say with complete pride and pleasure that if you give to your neighbors, they will give it back to you ten fold. I was seeing this mindset long before the bombings and soon after the smoke cleared, it was back to business as usual.

So, to answer the question, “Why am I so proud of my city?” I guess I would have to say it comes down to two very simple characteristics, trust and loyalty. Bostonians need little more than that to survive. The people of this city have been so great to my incredible staff and me. Over the past 16 years of growing a business, I have become eternally grateful to the Boston community for all their support.   I would like to say from the bottom of my prideful heart a sincere and genuine ‘Thank you’ for allowing us to be a small part of your amazing life here in Boston. Cheers!