May 9, 2012 A lesson a day keeps the doldrums away

Today, when I least expected it, I learned yet another valuable lesson.  It happened while I was dancing.  I happened to remark to a person who's dancing I enjoyed watching that I needed to watch more and learn more moves.  They took my comment, not as a compliment as I'd intended, but as an invitation to pick my own efforts apart.  I listened for awhile, becoming somewhat disheartened, but thankfully, was saved when someone directed my attention to a line dance we knew that had just been called.

I danced a couple of more dances, thinking about the exchange and giving myself a severe talking to about allowing anyone to dim my joy and soon succeeded in depersonalizing the whole thing.  Once I did that, I found myself wondering why someone who is attractive and talented, fun to watch, never lacking for a dance partner and constantly complimented would need to be hypercritical of someone else.  It occurred to me that I was once again faced with an individual who required external validation.  I'm afraid this often blindsides me as I've learned that loving myself is the greatest gift I can give.  I also firmly believe that what other people think of me is none of my business, and, especially when it comes to dancing, do not require anyone's approval or compliments.  I am in my joy because I dance for myself.  On those occasions when someone does pay me a compliment, I am grateful that in finding my own joy, I can bring a little to someone else.  Clearly, someone who seeks out the attention hasn't yet figured that out.  They just need someone to give them strokes by noticing them and finding it pleasing to watch them perform.

So I'm sending love and light and hope that this person will find the joy within but will be surprised if my eyes are drawn to their performance any more as I was, tonight, given a glimpse of the not-so-pretty underside of their chassis.    I have to say that it also explains why I never really felt comfortable around them.  Clearly, we resonate in incompatible keys. 

And so, I continue to dance like nobody's watching and sing like nobody's listening because when I am so filled with joy that it has to come out or it will simply bust out my seams, it really doesn't matter whether my technique is good, my timing is right or I'm on key.  The only thing that matters is the JOY!

Love and Light.