What is Avodah?

What does it mean? 
Avodah is a unique and interesting word as it has three meanings. It is a Hebrew root word meaning 'work', 'prayer' and 'service'. Avodah seemed a fitting word for what I wanted my career in Massage Therapy to be. Being a massage therapist is my work, but I wanted it to be more than that. Serving your community requires you to stretch yourself, sometimes beyond what you think you are capable of. It directly challenges the instinct to be selfish, which is a transformative process in itself. Giving and serving are virtues that do not come so naturally to me, but in this role it is a requirement. My work is expansive in this way as it requires so much of me, helping me grow and become a better person.
Supporting my clients, holding a space for their feelings and their pain is a sacred time, it isn't just transactional work, it is a special, valuable process which I do take very seriously. Massage therapy clients often come to the room with a lot of burdens, baggage, and stress. They have chosen my space as a place to come to for sanctuary and relief. Its a rare position of trust I am placed in. This is why I liked the word 'Avodah', because it added a reverent aspect to the work aspect.