Wednesday's wisdom....

Just dance.....

Last Saturday, daughter #2 and I took her darling girls out for Dairy Queen.

Good decision.

My suggestion of getting cones, with sprinkles, for wee girls in pretty dresses - bad decision.

But one easily overcome when my daughter suggested we eat our ice cream outside, behind the store, while sitting on the bench.  It would be easier to control the mess outside. And there was an added bonus out there....

The "oldies" radio station was playing on an outdoor speaker, which started M and I swaying side to side.  Soon all four of us were in full dance mode, twirling and rocking to the beat, grinning from ear to ear.  It was fabulous!

I think dancing is one of the most wonderful ways to relax and just plain have fun.

I learned a long time ago not to worry about how I looked when I danced, who was watching, etc.

I dance for me - for the pure enjoyment of it.

And I 've always encourage my girls, and students, to dance - whether on a stage, at a wedding, or around the kitchen table.

Some of the sweetest memories I hold are of dancing in the family room when my girls were little, Phil Collins blasting in the background, going from one end of the room to the other with total abandon.

While teaching, I would push the desks aside during class parties, put on some music and encourage every child to just get up and move around the room.  The last party, one boy in particular was so excited, exclaiming that he had been practicing dance moves for weeks.  I just loved that!

A few minutes ago I was in CVS picking up Dudley the basset hound's medication.  Though the line was long, for three of us the wait was pleasant.  We were literally tapping our feet to the sounds of Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes" playing through out the store.  

I've learned that dancing, for me, is a source of joy, an escape, and the best stress reliever I know.

And I will dance as often as I can, for as long as I can.

(Now if they would just get back to some actual dance moves on "So You Think You Can Dance" instead of the gyrating they were demonstrating last night, I'll be a happy girl. Seriously. My Dad used to use that word to describe dance moves in the '70's. Those moves were tame compared to what they did last night.  I won't be tuning in again.  Maybe it's time to bring back "the Twist"!)