At the Spa

Just a few days ago, I was at a fabulously luxurious spa (I'm sure you can guess which spa I'm talking about).  Finally...some "me" time...some time to relax.  As I changed into my bathrobe and slippers I was strangely serene, looking forward to a few hours of pampering and...well...relaxation.  The stillness of the place was overwhelmingly comforting, along with the enchanting scent coming from the raw cinnamon sticks that were elegantly placed in every corner.  As my masseuse led me to the private room, walking steadily and of course calmly, whispering a word here and there i could finally "breathe." Then, as I entered the dimly-lit room she explained that my scrub is composed of chocolate (yum!), rice and lemon...then, she added that following the latter she'd give be a full-body massage but that i had a pick between five oils, which she'd then use.  Of course, I picked the one which is supposed to ease distress.  As i got on the bed and she started working her magic...to my surprise...I could only think of who I had to interview next, which article I have to write, my sister, my mother, my dog...and the list goes on and on.  So I decided "ok, I'm gonna stop thinking and I'll try to turn on my Buddhist 'light' and meditate..." but...NOTHING!  The thoughts just kept on flooding in...I simply couldn't relax.  There I was...in the most relaxing atmosphere...and I just couldn't stop thinking!  And, of course, once I got home, I decided to put my dilemma in words.  Have I...or have we...become so used to constantly worrying, constantly stressing and constantly being under pressure that we can no longer relax...even if the setting screams "relaxation?"  Is it truly that difficult to just let it go...even if only for a few hours?  I always thought that if I found myself at a relaxing spot (say, a spa!), I would just naturally "chill," but, unfortunately, I was physically incapable of doing so!  Is it a matter of practice?  Do I have to go to a spa every week to train myself to relax?  I'm sure some of you reading my column think I'm crazy, and that it's "easy" and "natural" to relax, but trust me, it's easier said than done.  So think about it...thanks to the stresses of our everyday lives...have we lost the ability to relax?