I love to danc e . My parents enrolled me in ballet lessons in
the hope that it would make me more graceful, as even at five
years of age, I was much taller than any other children my age.
At about twelve years of age, I left classical dance for ballroom
dancing. I trained and competed in competitions until I left
home for college at the age of fifteen. It was during that period that I
learned the Rumba is an asset to good music. Since then, I’ve always
found that life has a beat, and one of the best ways to live it is to find
your beat and learn to dance to it. This philosophy is in keeping with
my constant advice of, “going with the flow.”
Growing up, I learned to “swing and sway” with Sammy Kaye. At
that time, life was much simpler, and music lyrics resembled poetry
more than emotional outbursts. Despite the changes music has gone
through over the years, I’ve never stopped loving the music I danced
to when I was young. I have found that in life, just as in dancing, you
need to stay centered, keep yourself balanced, and try to be light on
your feet. Interestingly, to accomplish all of the above, requires more
use of your mind than your body. The best dancing is when you can
move the way you think you should. You have to visualize it to do it.
To be light on your feet, you must think light.
Carrying that thought through, I realized that life is about whatever
you think it is. Reality is for people with no imagination. As you go
through life, it isn’t necessary to dance; but if you can, visualize yourself
gracefully gliding across the floor of life. That is all that is needed. It
is like playing “air” guitar. All you need is the music in your head.
Fortunately, it is easy to do, even without an instrument or musical
talent. Likewise, in the dance of life, if you can picture yourself as
successful, happy or whatever you want to be, that is what you will
become. The illusion will become reality. You will become your
vision. Thinking will make it so, as long as you believe it. Choreograph
your life by planning the steps you need to accomplish your goals. If you
can create within yourself those traits you wish you had been born
with, you might be able to achieve those things that you strive to be.
It is the old “I think, therefore, I am.” Descartes knew what he was
talking about.
Begin by imagining what you want, then what you must do to
achieve it. Pretend you have what you need to fulfill your dream.
Now, dream it, believe in it, and practice it. Without ever getting
out of your chair, you may end up out on the floor tripping the light
fantastic and enjoying all the things you previously thought to be
unobtainable. By the way, if you trip and fall, just get up and try again.
You never fail until you stop getting up. Ask any accomplished person,
and they will tell you how often they failed before they mastered what
at first appeared impossible. Eventually, you will be able to dance your
way through life with a constant smile on your face and a tune in your
step. OK, now a one and a two.
I’m not myself today and everybody has noticed the improvement 29