Dance

I have always had a sense of music’s inspiration in my life. As long as I can remember, the words and music that filled my life bring back memories. As a child, I would dance around in the yard singing a song in my head. My mom would have the radio on in the kitchen while she cooked and when a song came on that inspired her, she would hold our hands and dance around the kitchen with us all singing the song. One particular song that has inspired me to write this morning is, “I hope you dance”, written by Mark Daniel Sanders and Tia M Sillers. The song was made famous when Lee Ann Womack sang it in 2000. I can remember when I first heard that song playing on the radio. My boys were around 10-12 years old at the time. I was with them and I asked them if they were listening to the lyrics. I told them that was my song for them. A few years later, when we were putting together the songs for my father’s funeral, I told my boys, “that song is the song I want you to play at my funeral”.  Whenever, we were together and I heard the song I would say listen, are you listening to the lyrics? I would then take their hands and say let’s dance to it now. We would dance around and I would point to them and sing “I hope you dance” I still ask Matthew, who is currently in his 30’s, if he remembers this song and if he is listening to the lyrics.

Lyrics:

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you dance…

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance,
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances, but they’re worth takin’,
Lovin’ might be a mistake, but it’s worth makin’,
Don’t let some Hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin’ out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years
And wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.Dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
I hope you dance… I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years
And wonder where those years have gone.)

Songwriters: Sanders Mark Daniel / Sillers Tia M

Life is short, We don’t know when we are going to leave this realm.  My cousin was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer a few months ago. She has chosen to live the highest quality of life possible in what time she has left. Why does it take the knowledge of limited time for us to start living in the moment? I have recently chosen to change my mission statement to read, “Helping myself and others to live our best lives now.”  That is inspiring me to write, sing, play and dance now. I am choosing to listen to the lyrics of that song and take it to heart for myself. You see, we can’t give what we don’t have. I can’t help other’s live their best lives now if I am not choosing to live my best life now first. I LOVE teaching Tai Chi for Health. In order to teach others, I must first learn the moves as well as mindfully sense the depth of the process myself. I get something special out of every class I teach. Through the process of learning, practicing, teaching, and coaching myself and others, my health has improved significantly.  I am currently in a program to become a “Groove” facilitator. Groove is a beautiful “Dancercise” program that incorporates a mindful practice of dancing in sync with the music and others dancing with you, while being unique in your own movement. It is a mindful process of getting out of your head and into your body. Bringing your focus to the present moment, listening to what your body needs and moving accordingly. I am learning to dance mindfully with others so that I can facilitate others in doing the same. I am making the choice to not sit out this moment in time. I am choosing to Dance.

Are you Dancing?