Dance, love, sing and live in the moment
October 29, 2009 by Marguerite Orane
Filed under Be Present, Featured Posts
I love Today’s Bright Spark contributed by Carmen (see column right). I have read it so many times that this morning when Carmen sent her selected quote, I just said “Oh that again” and proceeded with my other e-mails. Then I decided to stop, read again and really consider what it means.
“Dance like no one is watching” – so many of us are self-conscious when we dance. We feel we are not good enough, we are clumsy, we will look foolish. Guess what? No one is really watching. And even if they are, so what? Chances are they wish they had the guts to dance like you – like no one is watcning! Ask yourself: “How would I dance if no one was watching”? With joy, abandon, vitality and energy!
“Love like you will never be hurt” – this means to love unconditionally, without fear, in the present. It means letting go of the memories of past hurts, and of not worrying about whether the love will last – just enjoying it for the moment. Ask yourself: “How would I love if I would not get hurt”? With trust, with faith, with joy, with harmony.
“Sing like no one is listening” – speak your word without care, without the fear of anyone telling you “no”, without worrying about whether you are good enough, of whether what you have to say is important. Just sing! Sing your own tune, in whatever tone, language or pitch you want. No one is really listening – they are busy worrying about their own singing! Ask yourself: “How would I sing if no one was listening”? Loudly, quietly, lustily, letting my voice soar!
“Live like it’s heaven on earth” – Heaven is right here and now. Live your life like that, not as if heaven is someplace one goes to after death. No, heaven is right here and right now, on this planet earth, in this lifetime. Ask yourself: “How would I live if heaven was on earth”? With big dreams, no worries, total faith and trust, with joy and no fear.
Today, dance, love, sing and live as if you are the only person in the world, as if this is the only moment there is.
I once borrowed a phrase that I’ve tried to live by… “Live ur best life”. It seemed to describe best my desire to make the best of every moment I was blessed with. Another favourite of mine is “Live purposely, Laugh often, Love unreserved and Pray earnestly”.
But after the most challenging two years of my life,I find myself with a shopping list of stress-related ailments, everything from migranes, anxiety attacks to a small ulcer. As a independent single mother, I have grown used to shouldering the demands of a busy personal and professional life. But I’d started to believe it’s caught up with me,”Why now, when I’ve managed this pace for the last 16 years?” I ask myself… “When does it get easier, why can’t I catch a break?” “Why do I feel so burdened,stressed and so easily frustrated?”.
At seemingly the point of absolute exaustion last week, I took a few days off work to re-coup (or so I had hoped),only to spend the time stressing, hustling about doing non-work related stuff, and lamenting how my ‘vacation’ didn’t feel much like one. As the vacation days ticked by I could feel my anxiety level rise, as the weekend approached each hour that passed on my non-vacation felt like torture.. Then it hit me… like a wrecking ball on the last day. I had lost sight of the big picture, bogged down by and focused on a myriad of small stumbling blocks and petty issues. My ‘mantras’ were collecting dust somewhere, words to live by forgotten and discarded. I was living without counting my blessings,loving fearfully… hardly laughing and praying with Cliff Notes. I was making myself sick, miserable and tired(not to mention making my loved ones sick and tired).
So great was this epiphany that I sent the kids to their Dad,turned off the Blackberrys, house phone, internet phone, logged out the laptops, parked my car in the rear garage, switched the TV from CNN to 80’s music videos and finally went on vacation… I spent the entire day reading a novel I forgot I was dying to read, re-organizing my closets pulling out the stuff I keep meaning to, writing in my journal, drinking herbal tea instead of coffee and eating cereal in my pj’s. I can’t say I feel completely renewed but I’m back on track, I found and dusted off my faith, my “joie de vivre”, my gratitude! I accept that there will be challenges ahead but I think this time I’ll be more prepared to treat every moment as if its the only moment there is.
Happiness is yours if you claim it. Nothing can break your spirit unless you surrender your power. You can choose to change how you feel in an instant. Your choices, attitude and faith will pave your way. You hold all the insight and strength you need to succeed within. Even when life seems overwhelming, you can choose to remain captive or awaken to the gifts bestowed upon you – l
Live ur best life.
I’ve never blogged before, but this post inspired me to share. Thanks Marguerite!!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful experience – beautiful because you managed to learn so much from it and make a new decision! (see my today’s post – Nov. 3). Your sharing will help others I am quite sure. It has helped me! thanks and much blessings to you
Marguerite