Forever On the Dance Floor

Please don't stop the music, music. It was only about a year ago that I let go of my "I'm too old for this" attitude and rediscovered my love of dancing. As a teenager, that's most of what I did. I love choreographed routines, being in front of a crowd, entertaining. It's a rush. It's just as much of a rush to be on a crowded dance floor moving to the music with friends as well. There's an old NSync song that says "the music gets me high." I always identified with that and felt it was such a perfect way of describing it. As I've aged, matured and well, to be to the point...gotten bigger, I let all that go for the sake of what others might think. It wasn't until we were on a cruise last May, a particular club on the boat was empty, but there was good music playing. Glade and I went in and started dancing. No one around to judge me. It was great. We danced till we were sweating and had so much fun. Eventually more people came, but by then we didn't care anymore. It was then that I came to the realization that I don't care. I love to dance.

From the time we are tiny babies we start bouncing when we hear a good beat. It's natural. It's also natural to get older and bigger and not look as good doing what we once did look good doing. Why does that matter? Unfortunately, there are not many places to go and enjoy such things that aren't riddled with scantily clad women, inappropriate music and alcohol. It's also unfortunate that the people I associate with, mainly speaking of friends in the church, aren't brought up to be crazy. They are more reverent and low key. I think that is perfectly fine and there is definitely a need and place for that, but isn't there a place for crazy fun? On a little side note but relevant, my kids love visiting with my family back in IL because, in their words, "your family is way more fun than dad's!" I was brought up to be silly and loud and crazy and sometimes maybe even a little too much so, but we have fun. While visiting at my Grandma's house back in IL, we got together just as adults and played a family favorite card game. We laughed till we cried. We were loud and joked with each other and acted goofy and loved every minute of it. When it was all said and done, my Gram made the comment "I think that's what I've been missing, fun."

I know not everyone feels the same about music and dancing as I do, but don't we all have something that makes us feel like that? This has all been brought to the forefront of my thoughts mainly because last night we attended the wedding of a cousin and for the reception they had a DJ. (not many LDS receptions do that) The dance floor remained empty for a very long time and finally they played Please don't stop the music and I sat there wishing I was up dancing. Next was Forever on the Dance Floor and I couldn't take it anymore. So, Glade and I did some solo performing for several songs. It was a little awkward at first, but then the I don't care part of me took over. This is fun! I'm sure there were some whispers and giggles and maybe even a little pointing, but guess what....I went home sweaty and feeling great! You....sat in a chair. Not even the teenagers there would get out and dance, after all...what would people think? Poor Whitley had to hide her head in shame as her old fart parents busted a move out on the empty dance floor. Some day, hopefully, she'll get it and she'll do the same thing to her children. That is my wish....to be Forever on the Dance Floor. I, of course, made a little request for Let it Rock and that was our finale. As I told Whitley (who never once made any attempt at movement)..."if you can't rock, you can't throw stones". Get it...rock, stones. Anyway, I had a great time. I'm lucky to have a husband who will shake his groove thing right along with me. I'm grateful for parents who also love to laugh and enjoy life and aren't too consumed with an "image" to uphold. And to my poor children.....Get Over It!