Last week I danced with Heather. She just glows with this pure joy when she dances - no flirting, nothing put on, no sexual energy - just the pure joy of dance. I look in her face, and I remember what pure joy feels like.
Every 32 beats, we are apart, and I forget, and we come back together, and I remember what joy looks like again. It fills me with such glory and happiness.
The odd thing is nothing external changed. I danced, I looked into her face, and suddenly I was happy. All she did was remind me that joy is available. The implications are staggering. It means I could have been that happy all along, and I just forgot that the dance was that enjoyable, that the dance makes me happy, that life is a wonderful thing. It's remembering the joy we had as a little kid from just sucking on our toes.
Why can't it be that way all the time? Why am I not accessing this energy all the time? It's inside of me, as my friend Ann always says.
Are there reasons to not be happy? Yes, I can think of some. But most of the time that I am unhappy, the reasons are not valid. Most of my depression comes from repetitive thoughts of the past, and are not in touch with the present moment. Heather was deriving her pleasure from the present moment, from the pure experience of the dance.
There was no desire for anything, nor any fear of losing anything. She knows it's temporary, it will go away - but she also knows it will come back. That absolute security brings her absolute happiness.
We wander around looking for meaning, forgetting the simple joys. There is meaning in happiness. When Heather dances, there's meaning there. It's not nothing. It's absurd to say there's no meaning there. For that instant, the dance is so important, it fulfills her whole being with joy, and she glows.
May we all awaken to the joy inherent in the dance of life.
Comment posted by R in Northern Virginia
at 8/4/2006 10:24:00 AM
Dancing is glorious! I remember the freedom when, as a teenager, I learned how to really move my body. A dear friend of mine, who is, incidentally, a beautiful and talented dancer, taught me. She moved with me, put my hands on her body to better experience the sinewy movements which define the difference between joyful dancing and the fulfilling of an obligation.
Your post really is about living the present moment -another lesson I keep forgetting and relearning--but reminded me of that dance experience--tten years ago, a lifetime for a woman in her twenties.
Keep sharing your thoughts, pleas. I recently discovered your journal and am enjoying it.
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