By Cheryl Smith
I’m dancing every day that I am on this earth. I might start doing the Duck, Philly Freeze, Hustle, Funky Chicken, Smurf, Tootsie Roll, Twist, ChaCha, Cha Cha Slide, Electric Slide, Charleston, Macarana, Salsa, Percolator, Humpty Dance, Cupid Shuffle, Camel Walk, Da Butt, Wop, Butterfly, Wob- ble, Stanky Leg, Moonwalk, Whip, Nae Nae, Mambo, Robot, Jerk, Lindy Hop, the Dog, Bop, Mashed Potatoes, Dougie, Running Man, or bumping — which I will do against the wall if I don’t have someone with me!
Who knows? I may break out into Voguing, Chicago Stepping, Boogalooing, Popping, Swinging, or Cabbage Patching.
Give me a beat!
When I am on the dance floor, I will be Debbie Allen, Alvin Ailey, James Brown, Chris Brown, Fred Astaire, Bill Bojangles, Martha Graham, Gene Kelly, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Amber Pickens, Janet Jackson, The Fly Girls, Gregory Hines, Rudolf Nureyev, Katherine Dunham, Misty Copeland, Savion Glover, Joaquin Cortes, MC Hammer, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Fayard and Harold Nicholas, Janet Collins, Paula Abdul, Shane Sparks, Anna Pavlova, Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Flatley, ReRun, Rita Moreno, The Les Twins, Ciara, and Ann Williams; all in one night!
Which brings me to my truth. Joy is so important.
Do you know what brings you joy? Is someone else stealing or depriving you of joy?
Whatever you do, stop the madness today!
Live a life full of joy and it helps by finding what brings a smile to your face and makes your heart sing.
There are people who make me feel that way and there are things I do, like dancing that make me feel good.
It even helps me to see others experiencing joy, like its contagious.
I’ve long been told that mis- ery loves company, but gosh, I get a rush seeing others feeling good!
Then too, oftentimes we don’t know another person’s journey, so we don’t know what they are experiencing and why. We don’t know if the person we see dropping it like its hot on the dance floor is dancing for the first time since doctors said they’d never walk again, or if the person wolfing down food at a restaurant is able to taste food for the first time in months, since first diagnosed with COVID.
Majoring in the minors keeps folks from enjoying life to the fullest. Fortunately for me, the things that bring me joy don’t cause harm to others so I don’t have anything stopping me from enjoying life, except any inhibitions I may harbor.
Author Charles Swindoll said, “Let go of all your excuses… Let go of so many needless inhibitions that keep you from celebrating life.”
The incomparable Nikki Giovanni breaks it down also.
She said, “There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don’t expect you to save the world I do think it’s not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.”
And you can hear the sound of the music. Your body starts to move. Nothing else matters. You’re sweating. The beat has you “shaking your money maker,” and any pain or discomfort is not part of your reality at this moment in time.
Before you know it, you’ve danced through five or six songs. You’re full of joy. You may need to hydrate or take a breather.
They don’t play slow songs like they did back in the day, so I guess you have to do like that popular dance song of the past decade instructs you to do…
You have to Walk it Out!
