My 60th Birthday 9-1-16

No 36 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury

Friday, September 2, 2016

My 60^th Birthday!

Today is September 1^st and I’m now 60 years old! I started with Arthur Murray October 15, 1975 and what a wonderful dancing life this has been.

Arthur Murray has taken me around the world and was and has been my school of life. 41 years of dancing, laughing, performing, teaching and having fun have been the fountain of youth for me.

Yes, my belt size is bigger, my feet are flatter, my knees sound like creaky doors, and my back goes out, but I have stamina and energy when I’m dancing that rivals 20-year old’s! I simply still love to dance.

I always wondered what it would be like to be an older dancer. Well, I certainly am a lot more fun to take a lesson with, because I have learned to love and laugh. I listen to my students because I hurt all over just like they do. And when my students make a mistake, rather than being a rough teacher, I laugh and say “What was that!” and we both laugh until we have to hug each other.  A bit of loving laughter seems to go a lot further in instruction than a reprimand!

My personal teachers are all about 20 years older than I am. They are Arthur Murray legends and they are in such great demand today. They dance, teach, coach, own schools, travel and train others. They are constantly surrounded by young dancers and they have the stamina of much, much younger people. They are my dancing examples and I strive to be just like them in my next 20 years. Imagine, at 60, I have a new 20-year plan. Retirement for me will be to coach full time and train others for the rest of my dancing days.

The new fuel for me is now service. As long as I am giving great service to others, I seem to be OK in my life.  Depression is kept away, darkness and sadness seem to fade away when you are always planning some benefit to help others in some great way. When you always have to be at a meeting and you are giving time to serve, you seem to always be happy.  Also, the people who you are working with are usually just the same and they are happy in giving service to others!

When my daddy passed, his funeral was long with the many, many organizations that came to honor him for his service.  Daddy was a part of so many groups that help others that I sat in amazement as “strangers” to me seemed to know him and love him so very much. Guess what, I’m becoming my dad. I love being surrounded with workers and leaders and find life is rich with joy when I’m around these people. I love being a part of many groups who specialize in changing the lives of others.

Leaders are timeless and ageless. They seem to have great health and happiness. They are known and loved by many others. They seek out new ways to serve and give of their time.  They seem to thrive on the art of donating time to worthy causes.  They seldom complain because they are too busy making a phone call or planning on a committee.

Am I happy at turning 60? Well, I think I have a lot more to learn, and I definitely know that I have a lot more to give. I’d be worried, except I have to finish my city-wide Buy Local event next weekend, and I have a major Hospitality Summit at St. Monica’s the next Saturday followed by a wonderful dance competition the next day. November and December are our busiest months, then we have our Dancing with Our Stars Event in January, Seasons of Love Show in February, then the Sand and Sea Ball in early 2017.

I guess if I’m going to have a pity party, I’ll have to find some time and schedule it, for right now, I’m just too busy to worry about unimportant things in my life.

By the way, time to get moving and motivating others. Thanks for letting me share my wonderful 60^th birthday with you all!

Keep on Dancing!

David Woodbury

DavidEarlWoodbury@gmail.com

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