dancing – Page 2 – Living, Loving, Laughing….

We should consider every day lost in which we have not danced at least once.

– Nietzsche, philosopher

Finding and celebrating the joy in life

Each day is a new chance to find joy and to dance. If you let it pass or think it useless, the chance is gone and you’ll never get it back. When was the last time you played? Or just did something for the sheer fun of it? Joy is not found in the world around you, it’s within yourself. You can make your own joy, especially during those dark times when you need to really feel alive again. Fun and play are healthy antidotes to taking life–and ourselves–too seriously. They’re proven boosters of immune systems and mental health and make life worth the trouble. So do the twist. Sing in the shower. Learn a magic trick. Watch a cartoon. Challenge some kids to a game. Don’t let a single day go to waste.

Sparkpeople-Healthy Reflection-SPARKPEOPLE

Last Monday was the first one that Jason and I did not have dance class together. The week before we had arrived at class ten minutes early. The class before us, country dance, was learning a line dance to Cupid Shuffle. The instructor insists we learn this one too. We jumped right in. It was great! We really enjoyed it. The best part was seeing Jason let loose and get into it, in front of a classroom full of people. I had to add the song to my itunes afterwards, that’s how fun it was.

The next Monday, the Monday after, I go to Jason’s after work to see the girls. He has them until seven pm. I see them for maybe half an hour. We are playing and having a good old time. I decide to bust out my song. Holding iPhone in hand, playing the Cupid Shuffle, I do the dance we learned right in Jason’s living room. Six pairs of eyes watching me. I danced.

Well, Jason jumped in. The girls started clapping with glee, their eyes bright with excitement. The oldest almost picked up the steps (a few more times she’ll have it). There was much hooting, hollering, and laughter – oh, the joyous sound of laughter. We had a blast. We danced. We could have focused on the fact it was Monday. That he only saw the girls til seven. That we had a stressful day. We could have, but we didn’t.

That is not how I believe. In the worst of times, I will FIND a speck of light and I will celebrate it for all it’s worth. If you sit and stew in the bad situation you are in because it’s not what you want, or where you want to be. You are going to be miserable. Life will be miserable and you are going to miss those opportunities to dance. Those opportunities to be grateful for what you do have.

We all make our own happiness. We all have the same chances. There is joy in the simple things, if you just stop to see it, celebrate it, and love it. Don’t ever stop dancing. Don’t miss it. Don’t lose the joy in life.

I have an eighteen year old living inside me. I really do. Who would have thought she was still inside just waiting for the right moment to come out?

All it took was a double margarita, 80’s dance music, and friends from high school to have her reveal herself in all her glory. It was great timing. I would not have wanted to be a I-don’t-remember-how-to-dance-thirty-seven year old at my ONLY twenty reunion. I am so glad those club days came in handy.

This twenty year reunion was wonderful. We gathered for the afternoon with families first. It gave us a chance to see each other and catch up for a bit. Meet the kids before our “adult” night later. All the kids were adorable. It was great to see all the families. So many of the kids look like their parents and got to hear our crazy school stories.

Later that night we gathered for a steak dinner at Fossil Creek Ranch. Everyone looked very nice. We got to mingle and watch the photo slide show of school days play. Drink cocktails and laugh at all the pictures. I heard many comments of “Where did they find these pictures?” HA. I’ll never tell. It was great fun. Bittersweet to look forward and back.

Our last class reunion was our 13th year. I know 13 not 10, our class was always a little uhh different. I don’t remember it very well. I was with my boyfriend Steve at the time. He was very jealous and paranoid so I couldn’t exactly “mingle”. I shared time with a few old girlfriends but don’t remember actually greeting everyone. Boy was this time different!

First off , I have an incredible boyfriend who engineered pretty much the whole slide show I helped HIM create. Secondly, he had no problem “mingling” while I went off greeting EVERYONE. If I saw someone but didn’t have a chance to greet them at the moment, I went back and found them later and gave them a BIG hug. It was wonderful to know THIS time I didn’t miss out. I didn’t hold back. I didn’t second guess anything. I hugged and I greeted and I genuinely LOVED every minute of it and no one got mad or jealous.

I always felt I was an all around person in high school. I tried to hide my grades because I didn’t want anyone to think I was smart(ha that was easy). It was quite the surprise my sophomore year when I won a computer programming award which I totally blew off as luck and my step dad being a programmer. I did go to scholastic meets in Family Living of all things which was really fun. I even won 3rd place at a meet. I was on student council and in the French Club. My senior year I made cheerleader which I had tried out for EVERY year but there were so few spots it as hard to make until then (five seniors left that year). I will say my tenacity paid off. It was a great experience for me to keep trying and not give up on my dream. Come to find out at the reunion , several of us cheerleaders, still remember CHEERS which was pretty hilarious.

I really did try to be nice to everyone in school and no I did not always succeed. Dava was a special ed student. She seemed to be the bearer of much teasing. She bravely came to the reunion , fearful we would all still be mean to her, which broke my heart. I gave her extra hugs. She put me down on her paper as most changed. Yes Dava I probably was most changed to you because I was so much nicer. You are a very sweet and dear lady my friend. I am grateful that we can grow and change and mature past those terrible ways we acted in school. *Why do children pick on children different from them?*

After dinner and drinks downstairs we went to the HEAT of good ole Oklahoma summers. The DJ did his best but no one was dancing at first. We held rewards for longest distance traveled, most tattoos, longest married, most children, and most changed. It was fun (and not surprising) who won. After that everyone was a bit looser and not only did the dancing start but the karaoke as well. Eventually ipods were hooked up and all the old 80’s favorites were played. My 18yr came out and we finished the night off dancing as if no one was watching.

What a great reunion. Connecting with old friends. Remembering good times. Relishing each moment that will never happen again.

Can’t wait for the next one and I think I’ll keep that 18yr old handy a little more often than 20yrs later.

Dance like no one is watching,
Love like you’ve never been hurt,
Sing like no one is listening,
Live like it’s heaven on earth.

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