Dance

Today is National Dance Day. Dancing is a big part of the Celtic tradition. The popularity of Riverdance showed how fascinated people were with dancing. One of the late Kurt Vonnegut's stories Welcome to the Monkey House was dramatized several years ago. In the story no one was allowed to be better the anyone else. In the end two people, a man and a woman, broke free and danced a beautiful ballet together before being killed. It was a depressing story but the ending where the expression of the individual in dance was so incredibly moving.

The Irish have a saying "Sing as if no one were listening. Dance as if no one were watching. Live each day as if it were your last." It is a wonderful philosophy for life. Too often we are shackled by our fears that other people will laugh at us if we express ourselves. We are afraid to sing, to dance, to paint, to do something creative because "we aren't good enough." It isn't important what others think because you need to express yourself for you. The need to create is a wonderful thing. We need more beauty in the world. Who cares if your early attempts aren't perfect. We learn as we go along. I am still learning new things with my art programs. I am learning with my writing. I create because my soul yearns to express myself. The fact that others love what I create is a bonus. I am a free spirit and my soul loves creating.

So today go ahead and sing and dance. It is a beautiful day. The picture is called May You Dance. The lyrics below are for the song Lord of the Dance. The lyrics for this version were adapted from a song called "Simple Gifts" by Sydney Carter in 1963. The music is a 19th century Shaker tune.

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was young
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced for the scribes and the Pharisees
They wouldn't dance, they wouldn't follow me
I danced for the fishermen James and John
They came with me so the dance went on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame
The holy people said it was a shame
They ripped, they stripped, they hung me high
Left me there on the cross to die

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that will never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in me
I am the Lord of the dance, said he

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

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