Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
This past weekend, Joel and I were walking to the Third Street Promenade to see the new movie, Barbie. Yes, we were dressed very colorfully. It turned out that much of the Promenade was filled with women and men decked out in something pink! Almost every showing of the film was sold out and there was a very festive and fun feeling all around on the Promenade. I had not felt that excitement for a very long time on Third Street!
As we were walking to the movie, I saw an older man pushing a walker with a chair. His little dog was on a leash and he looked so good moving down the street. Being Southern and my mother’s son, I said “You are looking great on your walk!”. He laughed and he said, “Well, it’s good enough!”. We exchanged goodbyes and I said to Joel as we walked, “I’m going to write my blog about him!”.
Usually on a Saturday, after a busy week and the big Friday Night Dance Party, I often need a bit of help walking the next day. I have marathoner knees attached to 47 years of dancing legs! This particular Saturday, the movie was very early in the morning after less than 5 hours of sleep, and we walked just over 2 miles to and from the Promenade Mall.
I felt great inside and decided to not take a walking pole (ski pole) or a walking stick to stabilize me. At first, I did not have my balance, but soon the magic of walking and movement took over and I had a good stride.
I truly appreciated seeing someone who was unable to walk unassisted on his own, moving down the sidewalk alone with his little dog with his push chair. My compliment to him was sincere and heart felt. I knew that he had courage to walk his little dog and be out walking alone. I was so proud of him.
Then, I thought about what he said. Does everything always have to be ‘over the top’. Can’t things sometimes be ‘just good enough’? As I walked a mile to the movie, I felt proud and more accomplished as I was walking unaided, and I stood a little taller and I increased my gate and stride. I was ‘good enough’ right then.
Years ago, I could only strive to be the best in all things. I was Superman and I was compelled to be first in all things and the best in all things. Then, I turned 60 and my body said, not so fast. I did and still do strived to be the best in all things, but then something wonderful happened to me. I fell in love with my dancing again and realized that dancing was keeping me young in mind, body, and spirit. Dancing was keeping a song in my heart. Dancing was helping me heal and have good mental and physical health.
I love being able to still dance and the longer I dance, and the more I dance, the better I get. I forget my earthly years and I feel like a young 20-year-old man all over again. I taught a class tonight and I said to the class “I just forgot how old I was, and I feel so young!” It was the truth.
Do you feel stressed and tired from the competitive nature to be the best in everything all the time to everyone? Try this, breathe, give yourself a break and perhaps focus on giving the best service to others in your life. Be a daily inspiration to others. Be an encourager of others. As it has been said, you can only wear one coat at a time, so be content with what you have.
Then, what will you do? For me, it is to live a life trying to help those who can’t see their lives clearly, and to help others who need focus and vision in their lives. To inspire others who have given up. To let others know that their lives matter and that ‘it will get better’. Now, for me, this is good enough. It’s not more money and more material things in my life that matter any more, it is having wisdom and knowledge to be a guiding light to others.
I’m OK now, and if I’m not the biggest, the richest, the owner of the most it doesn’t matter to me. I’m happy in my life and I share that joy with others, that’s fine with me.
I’ll carry the memory of that wonderful man walking his dog using his chair walker, and his smile and chuckle as we shared on a chance meeting walking down the street. It’s a ‘good enough’ memory for me!
Thanks for reading,
David Woodbury