As I reported in my previous editorial, in September I embarked upon a new adventure when I resigned from my position at a small rural inpatient and outpatient setting to work for a home care and hospice organization. Each day I now drive on the back roads to places in my home state of Maine that I suspect I would probably not have ever seen except for the travel required for this job. I thoroughly enjoy this as I have always enjoyed driving and anticipating what might be around the next corner. While I am not the least bit concerned about driving on dirt roads, since I live on a dirt road, one thing I have learned thus far is that when there is actually a warning in the directions regarding the potholes on the dirt road that leads to a patient's/client's home then the actual situation that I may encounter is that there will be sink-holes in which my car will disappear from view and, thanks to my Subaru, I will hopefully reappear on the other side. I do smile as I encounter directions like "look for the big truck about a couple miles after the big oak tree between the two stone walls and the big pine tree that fell during the ice storm of 1998." I also now encounter the pets that belong to individuals that I am visiting. I am thinking that I should probably ask for a "bisquit/treat" allowance that I use to bribe some of the pets to allow me into their territory. I chuckled recently as I was assisting a person to flex a new knee while 1 of 2 very large dogs was licking my face and the other was sniffing my hair and barking (I am not sure how to interpret that). Last week I was trying to locate a home and was admittedly lost, which is not that unusual for me-even on well-traveled roads, and so I stopped into the small local grocery store to ask for assistance. When I asked, "how do I get to ... road," I was asked the question, "In which town?" I must learn to be more specific. On any given day I am privileged to be invited into homes on back roads, on lakefront property, and in wonderful farmhouses built in the 1800s. I am having a blast with this new adventure.

While I very much enjoy my work, I do always look forward to my days off. If it is nice enough to be outside, that is my preference. However, lately I find that my primary activity is walking behind a snowblower. I now ask myself what I was thinking when I decided to site my home at the end of a 125-foot driveway and then build a 12-by-30 deck onto which the snow from my metal roof settles and packs tightly in 2-foot tall drifts. Oh well... it is exercise. When I cannot be outside, my most enjoyable activity is reading. A few months ago, a good friend of mine suggested that we have a book club. So, each month 3 of us get together for an evening of food treats, coffee/tea, and a discussion of the selected book. We read mostly nonfiction books about nature, environment, science, politics, and history. I think that there is not a more perfect evening than I have when I am with these 2 wonderful friends as we discuss the good and the bad about each book. I also enjoy the process of going to our local bookstore where I am greeted by name, and finding or ordering the books for each month. I have not transitioned to reading books digitally, except when I travel. My local bookstore reminds me of my own home where there are not only books on the shelves, but books stacked on the floor and on tables in the back area. As a matter of fact, I also have all my books listed in a computer file by author, title, and ISBN number. As I read a book, I enjoy writing in the margins and high-lighting passages and/or paragraphs that I feel are important to me. I found myself underlining many sentences and phrases in our book for January. The book is titled "The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot" by Robert Macfarlane.1 In the book the author documents his travels, and his interactions with the people he travels with, as he negotiates the ancient pathways located in England, Scotland, Palestine, and Spain. I actually bent back the page on which the author wrote, "Touch is a reciprocal action, a gesture of exchange with the world. To make an impression is also to receive one...." I immediately thought of what I do each day as a physical therapist. While we do touch individuals physically to relieve pain or to guide movements, we also experience emotional touch as we learn about the journeys that each person has traveled (physically and emotionally) throughout their life. I am so fortunate to have chosen this career where I, on a daily basis, am touched by the individuals who become part of my pathway through the world. No matter what the size or worth of a person's home, I learn to be a better person as I listen to each person's story or journey as they made their way down their pathways. I, and I hope that each of you as readers of this editorial, am so very fortunate for the "reciprocal touch" that I receive from each person that crosses my path.

To ensure that I give my best and most efficient treatment to each and every person, I know that I must allocate time to read, and listen to, research on new techniques. I must also abandon techniques that I've used in the past if they are shown to be not as beneficial as other techniques. I must allocate time to read research such as that presented in this issue of the JWHPT so that I don't escort a person down the wrong path.

In this issue, Lisa Tate's article describes the effect that the presence of scoliosis might have on pelvic pain. Dr Marisa Krick educates us with her case study involving a person who had undergone sexual reassignment surgery. Drs Pam Morrison, Susan Kellogg Spadt, and Andrew Goldstein provide information regarding the use of myofascial release techniques that were used to treat clitoral phimosis and dyspareunia.

It is my firm belief that when we use evidence to guide our touching of patient/clients, the result will provide reciprocal benefit. We will receive comfort from knowing that we are providing best practices and out patients/clients will be recipients of best care.

Nancy C. Donovan, PT, PhD

Editor-in-Chief

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