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This Thanksgiving weekend, I thought I would take a moment for gratitude, to give thanks for the many people and events who have moved me forward in Touch Practice and helped me find my way.

I give thanks for all of those men who answered my first Craigslist “hugging” ad all those many years ago, beginning with Russ, (I’ll never forget)–men who showed up trusting, courageous, open, and who ultimately helped me find those qualities in myself. I give thanks for the hundreds of practice partners I have had that have brought me to the place I am at today. Some of you have become close personal friends; some, I never even knew your name. Thank you.

I give thanks for the dozens of guys who asked, “what do you call this? This is great. Are you going to write a book about this? Do you teach this?” You nudged me into sharing something with others that I originally intended to keep secret, just for myself.

I give thanks for my friend and elder Baba, and for Webworks NYC, for encouraging me to write (and write and write and write) and moving me towards having a website for Touch Practice, a website which as of today has had more than 50,000 visitors from more than 120 countries. And I give thanks for all those who have visited the site that I’ve put so much writing into, those who have left comments or testimonials, or who subscribe to my blog.

I give thanks for JWLenswerk for being willing to photograph what I described, at the time, as some “truly weird shit with two men” and who, in the end, made it a painless and even fun process. No pictures, no website.

I give thanks for my first and only experience with Body Electric many years ago. While it proved to be not quite the right experience for me, it pointed me very clearly towards what WAS the right experience.  The weekend helped me find myself in very real ways. In a strange way, finding what isn’t quite right is a step on the path to finding what is. I consider BE and groups like it a “distant cousin” of Touch Practice, very diverse approaches towards the same end goal: helping men feel safe and comfortable in their own bodies.

I give thanks for a group of professional, licensed bodyworkers and therapists who invited me to a retreat many years ago. Even though I am not a professional licensed anything, they invited me to join their retreat because one of them recognized Touch Practice as a genuine practice. That weekend transformed my thinking about myself and my practice. They encouraged me to take myself seriously, license or not, and to recognize the healing power of skillful, intentional touch. Rob, Killian, Wolfie, Don, Nick, Leland, so many others that weekend, all of you, thank you for empowering me.

I give thanks for the many psychotherapists (Mike, Dave, Christine, Peter, Gerard) who, although they could not legally refer clients to Touch Practice, recognized the value of the work for people in recovery and made sure certain clients somehow “found out” about it. Thank you for taking a chance, and for trusting me. Thank you for reaching outside the norms of practice for your profession and stretching the envelope.

I give thanks for all the men in the “unwanted same-sex-attraction” community who have not written me off just because my theology or philosophy differs from yours. And within this group, I give special thanks to John: thanks for becoming close enough friends with me that I could blow up at you, and for staying close enough friends that you could later accept my apology. A bone is strongest where it has been broken and healed (no pun intended.)

And I give thanks to all the men in the gay community who have not written me off just because I care for men in the SSA community. I give thanks for tolerant, broad-minded men, whatever you call yourselves and wherever you belong.

I give thanks for Tony, my friend and partner in the workshops Touch Practice offers, for all the ways in which he supports me, helps me stay energetically clear and clean, and encourages me.

I give thanks for every man who has ever attended  a workshop. Every time I announce one I think, “who on earth is going to sign up for this?” And then, magically, we have a room full of beautiful, loving men. I am doubly thankful for those who have come to a second, or a third, workshop. Having you in the room makes the work of running a workshop lighter and easier.

Thank you to the men who are, as we speak, doing the legwork for the Asheville retreat this spring. I give thanks for you.

I give thanks for Kyle, and the opportunity to come on base in San Diego and work with six amazing soldiers. I am grateful for the fact that you risk your lives every day for us. I give thanks for every soldier in ever branch of every service, and for the sacrifice you are prepared to make.

There are 500 of you that I have not mentioned by name, some of you whose names I have never known and some of you with whom I speak weekly. All of you have contributed to my practice, to finding the path for myself and for the work I carry. I wish all of you a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude.

Have thoughts you’d like to share?

Touch Practice is a sacred practice for me, and part of that is keeping confidences sacred. While a name and e-mail address are required to post a comment, feel free to use just your first name, or a pseudonym if you wish. Your e-mail address will never be seen by or shared with anyone. It is used to prevent spam and inappropriate comments from appearing in the blog. I’d really like to hear from you!