Most folks know that I love to dance. I danced all the way through middle school drama, high school stress, and undergraduate decision making. Dance was, and still is, a big part of who I am and how I approach the world.
However, for the longest time, I did not dance unless it was “socially acceptable”
I remember watching, horrified, as my parents danced and head banged to songs on the radio as a kid. People were watching them! Why wouldn’t they stop dancing? Don’t they know how embarrassing that is for their daughter?
Now if anyone has looked at any of my social media, they would know that I actively dance everywhere I go, no matter the circumstance.
So what changed?
It all started with Metallica’s album Death Magnet. I bought the album and burned it on to a disc for my dad and I to listen to on our way to my 5:30am dance practices. Even though it took me a long time to appreciate metal for what it really is, I loved listening to my dad describe the complexity of the music, the skill of the musicians, and the surprising draw the entire band had on their fan base.
Eventually, I would head bang with my father.
Mostly because no one was on the road in Tucson, AZ at 5:00am.
Over time, I started to dance more and more in the car. Music made me want to dance, regardless of the genre or the content. I loved to dance. I was good at dance. It was when I chose to stop hiding my talent, stop hiding my passion, stop hiding how much love I had in my heart that I realized just how happy life could be.
They often say that if you are on stage and feel a little foolish that you are doing something right.
We feel foolish because we think that our joy in that moment does not fit with reality.
And it’s true.
Our joy does not fit in to reality because our lives are not meant to be like everyone elses’. We are not meant to be exactly like everyone else. That’s why following our vocation seems a little foolish: it does not make total sense in the moment. However, once you overcome the foolish feeling in your gut, you fall right in to place, and the world is better for it.
The best performances come from those who fully commit to their story.
They take ownership of who they are at all times, whether that be in character, or walking down the street after a long day of rehearsals. Committing to a passion, whatever it is, contains both the highs of completing a task and the lows of preparing for the next step.
It is not easy to commit to what can make us truly happy, especially when it makes us feel a little foolish at the start.
So you take little steps, day by day, saying “yes” to whatever comes your way.
Think of something that makes you happy. It can be as small as dancing in your car. It can be as large as building houses for the poor. It can be as simple as having deep conversations with like-minded souls. It can be as complex as conducting an experiment.
Now think about your day to day life. Do you incorporate lessons you have learned from those happy moments in to your routine? Do your actions in these little vocations satisfy your heart, at least a little bit?
These little consolations are a sign that God has given you something special.
But how do we recognize His voice in these little moments?
You need to look at what happens to the world around you. If we are living the lives we are meant to live, then there will be a response in the world. Some may not want to see your life, your “performance” if you will, but for the most part, souls are in desperate need of our little moments. We are all seeking God’s love, but until someone is willing to share His gifts with us, we are often left wondering where to look next.
A great performer draws people in. They make people feel something. Some are challenging, some are comforting, some are entertaining, and yet all of them elicit a response from the audience.
This world is our stage, and we are meant to use our talents, no matter how foolish they feel, in order to draw others in.
I was driving around town a few weekends ago when I realized just how important it was for me to live out my inner joy. There was a family in the car next to me, and the parents were dancing in the front. In the middle row was a little boy, probably eleven or twelve years old, who looked absolutely mortified.
In response, I rolled down my window, blasted a rock song, and did the most epic air guitar solo of all time.
The little boy was shocked to see another young person dancing in the car. At first he seemed horrified, but within five seconds, he was dancing to the radio with his parents. A bright smile few across his face, and I could see him giggling.
When we share what God has given to us, no matter how foolish, it brings Heaven to Earth.
It is an act of love.
Think again about what makes you happy. Is there something that you only allow yourself to experience in secret? Is there something that has helped you love the world better, but you kept it quiet for fear of looking foolish or being rejected? Is there something that you know would not only bring joy to your life, but also console the souls around you?
Take a small step today.
I do not know what your hidden gift is, my Dear Reader. All I know is that you are very much loved, and if you are willing to take your gifts out of the box in your heart and share them with the world that you will be so much happier. Yes, you will be vulnerable, but that will only draw others in all the more.
God wants you to be happy.
So if you have been rejected before, then step out on to that stage again. If you have been laughed at, then dance bigger. If you have been hurt, then smile brighter. There will always be Someone who enjoys your show. He died and rose from the grave to see it.
Dance like the world is watching.
I promise you…beautiful things will happen in the end.
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