No 20 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, May 19, 2017
“Never quit, even if you want to”
“You, enlightened, self-sufficient, self-governed, endowed with gifts above your fellows, the world expects you to produce as well as to consume, to add to and not to subtract from its store of good, to build up and not to tear down, to ennoble and not degrade. The time is short, the opportunity is great; therefore, crowd the hours with the best that is in you.”- John Hibben, 1913 graduation address, president of Princeton University
My life is so full of great activity. There is always something great to look forward to every day, every week, even every moment. Funny, most of these anticipated activities are events of service to others. I just love the life of service. Being of use guiding and helping others, and stepping up to be the leader at all times.
“The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”- William James (1842 – 1910) American Philosopher and Psychologist
Do I love and live this life to be appreciated? Truth is, I have had enough accolades. Now it is time to give the spotlight to others and help develop others as champions. Many years I came out of the “Dark Night of the Soul”. The light that brought me through was not therapy, outside support, books, religion, even family. All these factors were part of what kept me alive and kept me going. The magic ingredient was when I woke up and starting volunteering to help others. My eyes were opened and I saw that I was not alone. I also saw that I was not the worst off of the bunch. In fact, I learned how great my life truly was, even coming through darkness. The day I stepped out of the back tunnel was the day I began to offer service to others.
“What a man is contributes much more to his happiness than what he has, or how he is regarded by others.” – Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860) German philosopher
Finally, I feel free from the constant want to be happy and for things to be going well. Free from the constant need to ‘get more stuff’. Free from wanting everything to go ‘my way’. The only times now that I am free from worry and doubt and stress and sorrow are the times I busy organizing something for someone else, offering a helping hand, or planning an event that will uplift and inspire others.
So to finish, you might think I’m just full of hot air. Perhaps I am. But I’m going to us my hot air to blow up a balloon of dreams that will lift someone else to a new destiny, to a new reality in their life. This may seem like a ‘pie in the sky’ philosophy, but guess what, I love pie!
Thank you for reading!
David Earl Woodbury
davidearlwoodbury@gmail.com
Keep on Dancing!