I was walking down a tree-shaded street with friends, and up ahead I saw a group of men on someone’s front lawn. The men were engaged in some type of activity with one man dancing sort of tribal-style with great leaps in the air.

The men were all sizes, shapes, ages, and races. What caught my interest was that each man was expressing pure joy in his own movement of the dance. One-by-one each man took the center spot, dancing in his own abandonment. I could see what could only be described as bliss on their faces. Each man was completely absorbed and really getting into the music!

As the ladies and I were just about past the group of men an older man took my arm and lead me to the group. I felt uncomfortable for only a second then noticed other ladies in my group had also joined in the dancing.

“You’re not raising your arms high enough,” said an old man with a crazy long white beard. I thought I had my arms high enough but apparently not according to him. I was to reach until I thought my arms could go no further, then reach some more.

As I continued to dance with my arms high in the air, enjoying the sway of the music, the old man told me I was now supposed dance but with my arms down, facing the earth, in a pulsing pattern not unlike trying to poke the Earth. Clearly, I didn’t follow along with the group. I had my eyes closed most of the time, enjoying the rhythm of the music, and never noticed I was supposed to have switched arm positions.

After a while, the old man then came close to my left side. I could feel his body next to mine, his white beard and long hair whispering against my arm and face with the passing breeze. “You have to feel the music. It’ll tell you how to move.”

Isn’t that like most things in life? If we listen, feel, and experience, our natural action or reaction will be in harmony with everything else. It’s when we go through life, not participating when we miss the flow. Sometimes we hold ourselves back thinking something isn’t for us. It’s when we’re brought into or forced to “dance” that we find our own movements to life. We may need a little direction, but that’s ok. Just make sure to reach further than you believe you can.

© 2018 Lisa Bousson LLC